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Life and Works
of the
Reverend Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
Life and Works
OF THE
Reverend Ferdinand Konscak,
S.J.
1703 — 1759
an early missionary in California
by
MsGR. M. D. KRMPOTIC
"Nihil tarn alte natura constituit quo virtus
non possit eniti"
"The principal office of history I take to be: to
prevent virtuous actions from being for-
gotten, and that evil words and deeds should
fear an infamous reputation with posterity,"
Tacitus, Annales, III. 65.
^roiTLiS&SP^ ilF
1923 "'-^
THE STRATFORD COMPANY, Publishers
Boston, Massachusetts
Copyright, 1923
The STRATFORD CO., Publishers
Boston, Mass.
The Alpine Press, Boston, Mass., U. S. A.
DEDICATED
npO THE sacred ashes of those heroic Christian
"^ pioneers of civilization in this great country of
ours who sacrificed their lives for the good of future
generations, discovered the rivers and mountains
with their beauty and grandeur, blessed the soil with
their prayers and sweat. Sweet are the slumbers of
the virtuous men.
Preface
THE account furnished by Rt. Rev. Monsignor
M. D. Krmpotic of the life and missionary labors
of Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J., in California and
elsewhere form the subject matter of this volume.
From photographic copies of original letters found in
the Royal Museum of London, Msgr. Krmpotic has
given us a most interesting and authentic record of
the great Missioner's work. In this age of worldli-
ness, when men are ' ' busy about many things ' ' ; am-
bitious to accumulate wealth, secure its honors and
enjoy its luxuries, it is refreshing and inspiring to
read the life of one who pressed the scientific know-
ledge of mathematics, astronomy and geography to-
gether with heroic zeal and theological erudition into
his untiring efforts to bring the priceless blessings of
Christianity to souls groping in the spiritual dark-
ness of paganism. Educated in the best schools of
his native country he might have aspired to and at-
tained its highest honors. But he preferred poverty,
to have nothing he could call his own and to dedicate
and consecrate his life to hardships, self-denial and
privation in a foreign country in the hope of human^
izing, civilizing and christianizing the wild, savage
and untutored native. Only those who live the
Evangelical Counsels; who have risen above the
world: whose affections are placed on things eternal
Preface
and whose conversation is in heaven are able to make
this heroic sacrifice.
The book we believe will be read with deep interest
and not without spiritual profit by all those who ap-
preciate the self denial, heroic zeal and untiring
energy of the Jesuit Missionary, Father Konscak. We
are deeply grateful to Monsignor Krmpotic for hav-
ing given us this English version and hope it will
have a large circulation of readers.
John Ward
Bishop of Leavenworth.
List of Illustrations
Opp. Page
Women of California
Men of California
4
The Mart3^rdom of Father Curranco )
The Martyrdom of Father Tamaral J
Map of California 9
57
Women of California times of his exploration . 59
Men of California at the same period . . 67
The manner of curing the sick in California )
Sorcerers of California \
Map of Konshak trail of exploration . . 144
The Mission of San Borja 146
Contents
Chapter Page
I His Early Days . . . . . 1
II His Letter from Vera Cruz
III His Letter on Padre Antonio Tempis
IV His Exploration from Loretto Up to Colo-
rado Kiver
V Beginning of the Diary of the Journey
VI Continuation of the Diary
VII Conclusion of the Diary .
VIII Letter of the Father Provincial Francesco
Zevallos
14
24
46
83
96
116
135
His Early Days
FATHER Ferdinand, S. J., was born the third
day of December, 1703. His family name was
Konscak as it is spelled in Croatian. The reading
like Consago, Konsak, Consag and Konshak in the
records, follows the spelling of the Spanish idiom.
The last reading is adopted by our historian H. H.
Bancroft. The names of the original reading are
found at present times in his birthplace, the city of
Varazdin in Croatia. His relatives after generations
could be traced there. The names of his parents are
unknown as the baptismal records were destroj^ed by
fire with the parish house long time ago, containing
his entry.
After graduation from the grammar school he
started the gymnase training in the college of studies
conducted by the Jesuit Fathers in his native city. At
the age of sixteen years, on the 21st of October, 1719,
he was accepted as a Novice into the Society of Jesus,
the Novitiate located in Trentchin present Slovakia.
After six years of the gymnase training he was a rhe-
tor, in 1720. The novitiate probation lasted for a
short time. He continued studies of philosophy and
theology so, as to be three years later on ordained to
the priesthood in the city of Gratz, in Styria, present
Austria.
[1]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
In the year of our Lord 1726, we found him in
Zagreb, Croatia, as the records say: "magister Kon-
scak parvista." He was teaching there, as a member
of the staff of teachers of the Jesuit College. The
Church of St. Catharine is standing yet there known
as the Church of Jesuit Fathers, called today by the
people, the Academic Church, because the students
of the University attended sacred services there. In
the city of Buda, Hungary, he taught there: ''human-
iora studia ' ' or classical studies. He wrote a book of
poems there in 1728, entitled ' ' Nagadia versibus latin-
is" preserved in the library there. In this stage of
life he resolved to be a missionary among the heathens
in America. He reached his goal, sacrificed his life
to save and cultivate the others having right to the
new Light and Rebirth in Spirit and Truth.
At the end of 1729, he was ready to move to his
new field of work. The travel was very hard, long
and dangerous as well. He expected to board the
ship at Cadiz, Spain, and to cross the Atlantic in the
spirit of enthusiasm and love for his new vocation as
to reap the harvest to glory of God; to accomplish
this no sacrifice was great. He failed to sail at once,
for was directed to wait a full year there, and in
1730 he boarded the ship for America.
He landed at Cuba first, then in Vera Cruz, Mexico,
and stayed there up to 1732, when his superiors di-
rected him to Lower California. From Vera Cruz
he wrote a letter to his provincial in Wien, Austria,
reproduced in this book. He arrived at the Station
of San Ignacio after a very strenuous journey, and
[2]
His Early Days
hardly at that time expected that he would be after-
wards a guiding spirit of this historical spot. In
1748 he was appointed as visitor of all the Mission-
ary Stations in that country. There were about 20
Stations very far distant. As a visitor he had to
make a written report on conditions of the Stations
to his Superiors, and this kind of service was very
important bearing on the progress of the Stations,
lasted good many years in those days as to be per-
formed.
Besides his spiritual work in instructing heathens,
leading cathecumens and guiding the administration
of the Stations he engaged in scientific researches of
exploration. His manuscript containing the descrip-
tion of his first exploration is now for the first time
published in the language of our country. At first it
was published in Paris, France, in 1767, and inserted
in "Apostolicos Afanes de la Compania de Jesus."
Barcelona, 1754.
Historians abroad and here classify him among the
learned men, full of zeal in his apostolic work and ex-
plorative operations of the wild country where energy
and sacrifice are supreme. He spent thirty-nine years
in order and twenty-eight of them in California
among the aborigines.
During the seventy years of the Jesuit work in
California as to cultivate it and to advance it, Father
Konshak had its share of it, and it shall survive him
in the history of civilization of this country.
Father Konsag arrived in 1733 to San Ignacio Mis-
sion with Father Sistiaga as his assistant. The site of
[3]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Koiiscak, S. J.
this Mission called Kadaa, according to the historian
H. H. Bancroft, is San Vincente Ferrer Valley.
Father Fernando started his missionary work there,
after several months of strenuous travel.
The next year after his arrival the Indians started
a rebellion m which two Jesuit Fathers were mur-
dered, Curranco and Tamaral. Father Nicholas
Tamaral founded the Mission of Purissima, established
a new Mission named San Jose De Cabo. The natives
ruthlessly murdered him. The good padre met his
fate bravely and with that equanimity which charac-
terized the members of the Societ}^ of Jesus under
torture whether in California or New France. Father
Curranco met the same. Unfounded suspicion was
the cause of the murder.
The Provincial directed in the j^ear 1746 Father
Konsag of the Missions San Ignacio and Dolores Del
Norte to make a voyage of exploration of the eastern
coast of lower California to the Colorado River. He
sailed northward from Loretto. Expedition was
undertaken and carried out at the expense of the mis-
sionaries, each contributing according to his means.
When he left the port of Loretto, he was accompanied
by Captain Bernardo Lorenzo, the son of the Loretto
Commander, as far as San Carlos.
This venturous trip he described. The privations
were personal offerings placed freely on the altar of
the cause. His brave company of retinue was under
protection of the Blessed Virgin. They considered
themselves especially favored, Loretto, where they
started was their western Rome, the Peninsula, Sec-
[4]
The Martyrdom of Father Curranco
The Martyrdom of Father lamaral
His Early Days
ond Italy, the Mar de Cortez, the "Adriatic of the
West. ' ' Ferdinand Konsag knew Adriatic very well.
The sea bordering his native country, Croatia.
In administering the Missions he was full of zeal
and ardor to spread the Gospel among heathens. In
his district of the Mission Nuestra Senora de los
Dolores del Norte, he had baptized 548 Indians. He
made several trips inland in order to find suitable
Mission sites and dispose savages towards the North
for the reception of the Gospel, but nothing definite
was accomplished. In 1747, however, when Father
Sistiaga retired to Mexico, Konsag devoted himself
with such fervor to the conversion of the pagans, who
dwelt far away from Mission centers, that by the year
1751 he had instructed and baptized 448 Indians
with whom he expected to organize a new mission.
The only convenient place discovered lay North of
San Ignacio, and though there was not sufficient water
to irrigate the land, the zealous Missionary resolved
to erect the mission in that locality. Fortunately the
necessary funds were assured through the closing of
Mission San Jose Del Cabo. The Marques de Vil-
lapuente, who had endowed San Jose, had also di-
rected that, in case it had to be abandoned, the capital
should be used for the founding of a mission in the
territory of the Cochimis, an Indian tribe in Lower
California, which should be known as Santa Gertrudis.
Early in 1751, when the Very Rev. Juan Antonio
Baltasar, Provincial of the Jesuits in Mexico, had the
canonical visitation on the peninsula, he directed
Father Konsag to make another effort to find a better
[5]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
location for Mission Santa Gertrudis before deciding
the matter. He accordingly set out from San Ignacio
on May 22nd, accompanied by Captain Fernando Riv-
era, some soldiers and 100 Neoplijrtes and followed bj'
a well supplied train of pack mules. The expedition
made its way across the Sierra and up the barren val-
leys of the Pacific Coast until it reached a point in
the 30th degree latitude. No suitable place with
more water was discovered, nevertheless, the march
proved beneficial in that it befriended the savages all
along the road and brought salvation to a number of
children whom Father Konsag found in a dying con>
dition and baptized.
Having returned to San Ignacio about July 8th,
the Missionary immediately made preparations to
establish the long desired mission on the spot selected
before. This new Mission was situated in latitude
28°, 5' North, longtitude 113°, 5' West; twenty-nine
leagues from San Ignacio and eleven from San Pablo,
it lay to the north of these two foundations and was
separated from San Ignacio by El, Inferno. He sent
a number of Neophji:es to put up a church and neces-
sary habitations. The superintendent of the work
was Andres Comanji, a blind Indian, who also called
himself Sistiaga, out of affection for his former teach-
er, the Rev. Sebastian de Sistiaga. The Indian had
been a cathechist at Santa Rosalia de Mulege and at
San Ignacio, both in Lower California. His ex-
emplary conduct, his extraordinary zeal for the con-
version of his countrymen, his great talent to make
the mysteries of religion comprehensive, his perseve-
[6]
His Early Days
ranee in teaching, his patience with children and cat-
echumens, made the name of Andres Comanaji fa-
mous, and endeared him to the missionaries, soldiers
and Indians alike. He frequently received the sacra-
ments and passed all the time which he could spare
from catechism and other duties, in the church, where
he was seen to pray with remarkable devotion.
This was the man whom Father Konsag selected
to manage the construction of the buildings at the
new mission. No one need wonder at the choice of a
blind man for such a position. The structure to be
erected, though an improvement over the brush wood
huts with which missions usually began operations,
were of the simplest and rudest make. Andre was
so clever at this kind of work by means of his touch,
that the lack of sight was not noticeable in the result.
The framework of the buildings was of timbers, the
walls of mud and small stones, and the roof consisted
of timbers across which were laid reeds, and bulrushes
or tules. Neither hammer nor nails were required.
First, at the four corners forked treeposts were driven
into the ground at the right angles. Timbers or poles
were laid into the forks on the four sides and tied
with thongs of leather. Across these poles timbers
were placed at equal distances and fastened in the
same manner. Eeeds were next laid across these rafts
and covered with tules or dried grass. The walls
were then filled in with mud and stones or sticks, after
which the structure was ready for occupation. As it
hardly ever rained, these cabins afforded sufficient
shelter for the missionaries or soldiers; the Indians
[7]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
preferred to sleep in the open air. Later on, when the
natives had shaken off some of their natural indolence,
and better material could be obtained, more substantial
and more convenient churches replaced these rude
structures.
When this preliminary work had been done, the
Rev. Jorge Retz, a German Jesuit, who had spent
a year at San Ignacio in learning the language, in the
summer of 1752, was sent to formally open the Mis-
sion Santa Gertrudis. According to custom, every
missionary contributed from his mission and store,
whatever could be spared, such as goats, sheep, cattle,
horses, mules or quantity of provisions. Retz began
his labors in the midst of over 600 neophytes already
instructed and baptized by Father Konsag.
The success of this establishment stimulated Konsag
to find favorable sites for more missions. His voy-
age to the Colorado in 1746 had not disclosed a single
suitable place on the whole Eastern coast. His tour
of exploration inland west of the mountain range in
1751 had no better results. He therefore made an-
other trip in the interior, but this time east of the
Sierra, in the spring of 1753. After penetrating as
far as the 31st degree of latitude, he found that he
had only succeeded in wearing out himself and hi.s
poor beasts.
A spring, about 3 days journey north from Santa
Gertrudis was discovered in 1758, not far from the
port of Los Angeles.
The restless Father Konsag, who happened to be
the superior of the missions at the time, wished to
[8]
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His Early Days
establish a mission at Adac, but was prevented by his
death, which occurred on September 10, 1759. During
the first five years he assisted at various missions, and
then for 22 years attended San Ignacio, whence he
made frequent tours of exploration into the interior
and to the Rio Colorado. It would be difficult to
state the number of leagues, even approximately which
this indefatigable missionary, though always in ill
health traveled while in California. As superior he
had to visit every mission, but when his attendants
and their beasts took needed rest. Father Konsag
would devote himself to prayer on his knees. On ac-
count of his exemplary virtues and apostolic labors,
says Clavigero, the name of Konsag deserves to be
placed among those that have become illustrious in
California.
During this same mission period the explorer Kon-
sak or Konshak as Bancroft calls him, kept an interest-
ing journal depicting conditions as he found them in
his travels. The first chart of lower California, which
Padre Konsag prepared and submitted to the authori-
ties was the basis of all other charts and maps of the
Gulf shores of California until the middle portion of
the Nineteenth century had passed.
On his trips Father Konsak saw many mountain
sheep, antelopes, deer, lions, of which the Indians
lived in mortal fear, wild cats and other species of
game. Nineteen years after him journeyed Father
Wenceslaus Link, a Jesuit from Bohemia, and found
the same.
They had explored, untired Jesuits, the Cacachilas,
[9]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
looming high to the South of La Paz Bay. In the
Cacachila range, the mining village of San Antonio
Keal had been established in 1748, and Padre Konsag
was instrumental in planning and shafting it. They
had advanced Northward from San Ignacio, unde-
terred by the mighty volcanoes, the Tres Virgines,
and by the awful abyss in the lofty Sierras beyond
El Inferno — Hell — as they fittingly named it. They
had wandered over the western plains back from
Magdalena Bay and Ojo de Liebre and had visited
the sharp peaks of the Santa Clara Mountains that
lie between those plains. South of Loretto they had
faced death in the guise of treacherous Indians, rat-
tlesnakes, sidewinders, tarantulas, centipedes, and
hydrophobia carrying skunks. On the Western
plains death threatened them in the form of thirst.
In their northern travels Konsag at first and Link
later on must have seen it in lying in wait in the
form of poisonous springs, snakes, warlike Indians,
barren wastes and possible destruction of riding and
pack animals by the poisonous weeds — La Yerba — and
venomous lizard-like creature — El Animal. Father
Konsag in his diary states the facts of this nature.
But these bold travelers had kept on undeterred until
they had noted and named the rugged mountain of
San Juan de Dios, up against the thirtieth parallel,
and had seen in the distance beyond a towering moun-
tain mass, later to be termed San Pedro Martir Sierra
and to be known as loftiest peak in Lower California.
Before each new danger they blessed their fate and
thanked God that he had favored them with a field
[10]
His Early Days
as new and as rare as that before the first Christians
of pagan Rome.
Meantime in 1870 the United States Government
acquired a coaling station at the fine old pirate cove
of Pichilingue Bay near La Paz, and in the years 1873
and 1875 her ships, the Hassler and the Narragansette,
made a complete survey of the peninsular coast. In
1858 Lieutenant J. C. Ives of the United States Topo-
graphical Engineers had explored Colorado upward
from its mouth. Now, therefore map-makers could
overlook the charts made by Padre Konsak one hun-
dred and thirty years earlier and turn to newer and
more accurate ones.
The Jesuits had long desired to establish more mis-
sions in the interior of the peninsula, but the revolts,
the instability of the Southern tribes, successive epi-
demics and above all the scarcity of the priests pre-
vented activity in that direction, as they do consecrate
the best to missions.
In the Jesuit foundations, the idea of defense was
plainly far less dominant than at the North, where
the Dominicans and San Femandines* worked, for,
while the erection of a wall and the arrangement of
the buildings about a patio was customary, the
churches themselves were not fashioned to open out
in these patios, except by some minor entrance. More^
over, the greater number of the Jesuit establishments
are stone affairs, with churches designed after a gen-
eral scheme. Thus the interior dimensions of these
earlier churches almost universally approximate the
* Franciscans from San Fernando on the Main.
[11]
Life and ^yorks of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
following: length one hundred and twentj^ feet,
width twenty-one feet ; height, thirty-seven feet. The
walls, generally measure four feet in thickness.
Furthermore, there is usually a belfry, for every mis-
sion had its great sonorous bells ; at St. Xavier there
were eight, and a choir loft, approached by a spiral
stair case. Finally, and it is a distinctive feature,
these stone churches were roofed, not with tile or
thatch, but enduringly with stones, gravel and cement.
The Jesuits left California by the order of the King
of Spain on the 8th of February 1768 after working
there more than three-fourths of a century.
The picks of the avaricious have done thorough
work and buildings of the north are in ruins, so are,
also the Jesuit foundations of Dolores del Norte, Mali-
bat, Santa IMaria and Calamj^get, particularly the
latter. The stone structures of the South stand, grim-
ly challenging vandals, time and earthquakes. Set
away as they are in the lone grandeur of noble Sierra
amphitheaters, the massive of San Borja and Santa
Gertrudis, founded by Father Konsag, are strange,
thrilling sights. Built early in the eighteenth cen-
tury a brave model for the later church of San Lui
RcA' in upper California. San Ignacio stands today
in all the pristine beauty of youthful days. San Luis
Gonzaga, thanks to Don Benigno da la Toba, is in per-
fect condition. La Purissima Conception has endured
nigh two centuries, so also have the classic Grecian
pillars of San Jose de Comondu, Santa Rosalia de
Mulege has weathered two hundred years and received
good care. Loretto, sacred Loretto has survived pi-
[12]
His Early Bays
rates, earthquakes, vandals and cloudburst, though
her rent walls tell of them with silent pathos. Her
ancient bells are still swung high above the flat mis-
sion roofs ; in brace clamor, echoing among the palms
of this early capital of the Californians and out upon
the brilliant hued waters of the sea of Cortez, these
bells even now call the faithful to prayers, while in
her inner chapel Our Lady of Loretto, though shorn
of her beauteous rope of pearls, smiles down upon the
infants brought for her blessing as she smiled upon
their forefathers over two centuries ago. Lastly, but
foremost, majestic San Francisco Xavier de Vigge,
far antedating, though it does both the Mexican and
American Governments, is at once the best preserved
and most beautiful of the missions in either of the
Californias. The lover of antiquities may turn his
steps to San Xavier, assured of a sight worthy a jour-
ney along the roj^al road. To have charge of the mis-
sions from San Luis Gonzaga to Santa Maria, and to
cover this district in the only way possible — mule
back — requires ten weeks of steady work. This
probably is the roughest journey required of any
priest in the world.
When it is so today, how was it not in the days of
Father Konsag, his predecessors and successors?
Omnia possum in eo, qui me confortat.
[13]
II
His Letter from Vera Cruz
Letter of the Rev. Father Ferdinand Konshak, S. J.,
Mexican missionary of the Austrian province, to the
Rev. Father George Neumayer, of the same society
and province. Written at Vera Cruz in the Gulf of
Mexico, April 24, 1731.
Contents
1. Posthumous fame of Rev. Father John Klesinger,
missionary of the Bohemian province.
2. His splendid funeral.
3. Praise of the founder of the Jesuit College at
Havana on the island of Cuba.
4. And of some naval officers friendly to the mis-
sionaries.
5. Dangerous port and unhealthy location of the city
of Vera Cruz.
6. Wonderful occurrence regarding a portrait of St.
Francis Xavier. Father Konshak writes thus :
Reverend Father in Christ !
WHEN I remember my letter* which I mailed to
your Reverence from Spain, I am ashamed of
some news which I have from mere hearsay forthwith
* This letter could not be placed.
[14]
His Letter from Vc7'a Cruz
too precipitately written. What I stated there about
the daily corporal and spiritual dangers and of the
fruitful labors which are awaiting a missionary in
these distant regions is not exaggerated. Experi-
ence teaches us that if a European apostle wished
always to confine his zeal for souls only to the cities
and parishes of this country, he w^ould find a wide
field where he could do much good for the honor
or God and reception of Christianity, to say nothing
of his achievements if he should dare to go out into
the wild solitudes and was willing to lead into the
sheepfold of Christ the pagan barbarians of whom
there is an almost endless number yet left in this
Kingdom of Mexico.
Your Reverence should not take offence because
I say that there is an almost endless number of pagan
barbarians left in the Kingdom of Mexico who. are
yet to be led into the sheepfold of Christ. Partly the
innate cruelty of some of these peoples, partly the
small number of shepherds of souls is and was until
now the cause that such stray sheep neither could
nor would be assisted. Among the savages of
Mexico there are such brutes who rob and strangle
all strange travelers in broad daylight (in the night
time they usually keep quiet by reason of certain
superstitious intentions) and although they spared
the priests who had come to lead them from their
wrong ways to the right road, where are our
superiors to get a considerable number of them who
would not merely start but also steadily continue
such a far reaching work? Europe sends over new
[15]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
help from time to time it is true ; but out of 20, 30
or even 40 men the superiors of this country can
often send hardly one third or one fourth of them to
cultivate the vineyard of the Lord right from the
ship that brought them here. Usually the majority
of them have to be first trained in schools and made
fit for apostolic work. From all my fellow travelers
there were not more than four who had passed in
Europe all the tests common in our Society and were
now presently qualified to lay their hand on the
plow; the rest had partly first to begin to learn
theology (some even secular sciences) partly to con-
tinue it, and partly, like myself, to finish it.
In addition to that, death tears away in the mis-
sion now a missionary exhausted from old age or
prematurely worn out from overwork, now on the
journey an assistant still young but ill used by the
inconveniences of the voyage; as it put out in the
port of eternity amidst our voyage, a fine man from
my companions who was indeed worthy of a longer
life.
It was Father John Klesinger of the Bohemian
province, of a very edifying conduct, strong minded,
patient, unusually zealous for souls and of very
pleasant manners in all his intercourse, highly popu-
lar and esteemed by all. His excellency Mr. Anthony
of the fleet called in Spanish La Armadilla de Barlo
Vento which his Catholic majesty had ordered to
set sail for the sea to protect his American lands,
together with all his subordinate naval officers de-
pended entirely on Father John, who knew how to
[16]
His Letter from Vera Cruz
entertain them very pleasantly not only with his un-
common skill in the art of playing the fiddle but
also with his witty and instructive speech.
When yet in Spain he had a violent attack of
hemorrhage which gave occasion to some of his
friends to advise him to return to his province. But
Father John preferred to die in America under the
mission cross which he had so zealously sought in
Europe and finally found to his great consolation,
rather than to push it off faint-heartedly in the
secure hope that God would give him the strength
necessary for the apostolic work, or, if he had de-
creed in his unfathomable providence to call him to
rest before beginning the work, he would not leave
his willing zeal for souls without reward.
The disease took the upper hand on the voyage to
Havana and although it was hoped to have guarded
against the immediate danger of death by repeated
letting of blood, yet it came to the extreme soon
after our arrival in the said city, and after a very
violent attack of the sickness at night, Father John
became a premature corpse. In these sad circum-
stances, as we were ver^- anxiously trying by all
imaginable remedies to prolong the life of Father
John, who was already dying, it was his only care by
repeated reconciliation with God, to prepare himself
for a happy journey to eternity. After the reception
of the sacraments which could be administered to
him in this condition when he was attacked by the
disease for the last time, he took the crucifix with his
right hand and with his left he took the Book, adhering
[17]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
to his throat, from his mouth and saying the words :
**I believe, I hope, I love," in a very low tone of
voice, and gave up his innocent ghost into the hands
of his Creator.
After his death it appeared in what esteem Father
John was held by the laity as well as the clergy.
All officials of the royal fleet turned up for the fu-
neral, and it was observed that some could not contain
their tears. The different religions offered their
churches to our men who at present have yet no
house of God at Havana, there to open a place of rest
for the corpse of the deceased. The great main parish
or Cathedral maintained its privilege over the rest,
and the body of Father John was, according to the
custom of the place, brought on a funeral carriage,
accompanied by our men, the venerable Brothers of
Mercy and the parishioners of said church, with all
the bells tolling, to chapel, illuminated by many
lights.
Thence oiir men, to whom the reverend clergy
finally conceded this honor after a long friendly dis-
pute, carried the corpse on their shoulders to the
main church where it was buried with all honor, after
the high mass for the dead and the usual liturgical
blessing, beside the high altar on the epistle side
with the largest bell sadly tolling which is otherwise
used to ring only at the funerals of the bishops.
The following day two solemn requiem masses,
one for all the deceased, the other for the soul of
Father John, were sung in this same main church,
and after three days the ordinary funeral cere-
[18]
His Letter from Vera Cruz
monies and high requiem mass were held with all
edification in our presence at a splendidly arranged
bier in the church of the venerable Brothers of
Mercy. Our Society has at present no church of its
own yet at Havana, but, through the favor of the
Rt. Rev. Bishop of the island of Cuba, makes use
of the great or main parish church for its divine
services. The reason for this is simply because in the
short time the reverend Gregory Rondon, a secular
priest, has laid the charitable foundation for our
college and church, we could put in perfect state
neither the one nor the other edifice.
Perhaps it will not displease your Reverence if
in due honor of our very liberal founder I briefly
state the occasion on which he had come upon these
pious and holy thoughts. Some years ago there came
from time to time a missionary of our society from
the Kingdom of Mexico to the island of Cuba and
especially to the city of Havana where he gathered
many fruits of souls by his zealous sermons and other
official functions, and won for himself a special
esteem from the greater part of the inhabitants.
After every mission he completed he was always dis-
missed with so much more painful grief the more
ardent their desire was to have him constantly with
them, yea, to have a college of this society within
their walls.
The matter rested upon wishes for many years,
partly because some were always hotly opposed to
the almost generally popular work, partly be-
cause the well-minded, people could find no sure
[19]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
ground on which to build the realization of their
wishes. Mr. Gregory Rondon seized this opportunity
to deserve well of his fellow citizens and reflecting
that God, by extraordinary ways had raised him who
was born of poor parents, to a special prosperity, he
decided from his considerable wealth to erect the
college which was so ardently desired by the people
of Havana, and thereby liberally to return to the
Giver of all good what he had liberally received.
The work is carried on with zeal and now with gen-
eral approval, and by his praiseworthy example the
liberal founder drew after him many of the citizens
of the place as well as royal officials and high officers
of the fleet w^ho in every way assist our men in the
work they have on hand, and are in general favor-
ably disposed toward the mission and our mission-
aries. I, myself, though a stranger, have during the
time of my stay at this place received uncommon
courtesies from the entire admiralty of the fleet and
particularly from the above named Knight Escudero
for no other consideration than because I am of the
Society and becaused impelled by my vocation, I
came hither to offer my spiritual services to the
pagans of these lands.
We left Havana on April 10, early in the morning,
and in company of the superior of the Brothers of
Mercy who escorted us on our way for almost two
miles and under the command of the so-called Tracti-
eus who usually shows the way to all in and out-
going vessels in the strait full of cliffs, we sailed from
the fort at whose head they showed us the castle
[20]
His Letter from Vera Cruz
Moro and, erected in the utmost walls, that statues
of the Blessed Virgin which latter was greeted and
revered by the entire crew by singing the Salve
Regina. Our further voyage was very tiresome and
dangerous on account of the constantly changing
wind and always occurring cliffs, and we had to move
on almost only step by step always with the plummet
in the hand, yea, repeatedly had to retrace a con-
siderable part of the way for fear of perhaps bound-
ing unexpectedly against a cliff, especially in the
vicinity of the three Alacran islands* and perishing
miserably.
Finally on April 19, in the evening toward four
o'clock, we cast our anchors in the port of Vera
Cruz, where the same priest who was appointed to
be our companion to Mexico, already eagerly awaited
us and with joy led us to the college. As a matter
of fact the place where we landed, by no means
deserves the name of a port, for almost more ships
perish there miserably than even upon the high sea.
The stormy boreas rages there unceasingly and seizes
even the strongest and best equipped ships with such
violence that it either overturns them or throws
them against the rocks standing out of the ocean,
mostly, what is saddest, in sight of the citizens of
Vera Cruz, who, on account of the storm of the cold
wind and rage of the foaming waves, may not dare
to leave the house or go to sea to bring the necessary
help to the imperiled navigators, and therefore must
look on when they are wrecked in the very port.
They are small projections on the northern side of Yukatan.
[21]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
I do not know why Messrs. Spaniards gave the
name of Vera Cruz to this town, but it becomes it
with good cause ; for the unpleasant location, the
unhealthy air, the always unkind sky, the ever
stormy wind, the raging diseases particularly the
black vomiting and the cramps, promise little pleas-
ure to the inhabitants. Their numbers is very small
and even of these few the majority would leave were
they not held back by the very flourishing trade of
the place and the hope of gain ; meanwhile they pay
very dearly even for this, and it costs many a man
very prematurely his life.
We always see, how some corpses are carried out
to the grave and we are told that of the foreign
crews and merchants who come from Europe hither
in great numbers, after doing their business, hardly
half get off with their lives and return to their
native country, so dangerous and hurtful is the air
of this place.
These strangers give almost more work to our
men than the citizens whose numbers, as I have said,
are very small; yet the seven men who constantly
dwell in the college of this town, suffice for all func-
tions proper to our Society. The college is very small
in comparison with the inmates and consists only of
a row of rooms which are all occupied. The native
fathers have to lodge the arriving visitors in their
rooms by day ; by night these sleep in the gallery of
the church until the guest rooms destined for
strangers, are set in perfect order. The said church
is neat but not splendid.
[22]
Sis Letter from Vera Cruz
What deserves a special mention therein is a por-
trait which represents the holy apostle to the
Indians, Francis Xavier, with a badly swollen face
as if he had drawn much water after he had suffered
shipwreck, with hair cut entirely according to the
American fashion, but with a strong beard left un-
touched. After the vessel on which the picture was
previously venerated, had unfortunately wrecked,
it was thrown by the raging waves on the shore and
carried to the gate of our home without anyone of
our men noticing the fact, until finally an unseen
hand knocked repeatedly and more violently on the
gate and as it were, asked shelter for the holy visitor.
He was received into the college with unusual sur-
prise and no smaller joy, and afterwards transferred
to an altar in the church where he is at present a
general consoler and helper in need to our men and
outsiders.
I can write no more about this college and the town
of Vera Cruz. As soon as I shall have arrived at
Mexico where we are now ready to set out, I shall
not fail to send your Reverence the more remarkable
news also from our missions.
I recommend myself to your old kindness and
holy remembrance at the altar.
Your Reverences in Christ.
[23]
Ill
His Letter on Padre Antonio Tempis
F. Fernando Konsag, of the Company of Jesus,
Superior for the Missions in California to the Supe-
rior Father of this Province of New Spain.
P. C.
SINCE California had the fortune to procure
notable workers and missionaries such as F.
Antonio Tempis, it will be just after his death to
communicate to the whole Province the fame of
his virtues and of his Apostolic zeal, and therefore,
although late, I write this letter in order that his
labors and virtues may not remain in total and eter-
nal oblivion, but that they may serve for general
edification and example.
Father Antonio was born in Olmuz, a city and
bishopric in Moravia, June 25, 1703 of parents not
less noble than virtuous. Our Anton was their second
child and enjoyed an education that prepared him
for civic as well as for religious life and which pro-
duced a total gentleness in the nature of the child,
so fortunate that he seemed to sympathize with the
virtues, being modest, affable, firm and devout in
church. These virtues he cherished to the last breath
[24]
The Letter on Padre Antonio Tempis
of his life. He was quite old when he began his
studies in Latin, in which he made such rapid pro-
gress that he soon surpassed his classmate in the
literary branches as well as in Religion.
Ready for the University, he left his native land
and went to Prag where young students from all
over the Bohemian kingdom assembled, far from the
watchful eyes of their parents. But in spite of his
being in the flexible age, he never showed an inclina-
tion to misuse his liberty, a fault common with the
comrades around him. He finished his studies of
Grammar, Poetry and Rhetoric, winning high respect
and special attention from his teachers and superiors,
who recognized in him under the secular garb a soul,
very much disposed to be a perfect subject for any
Religious order. In his outside appearance Antonio
knew to conceal his soul, since he combined the finest
deliberation with great maturity in such matters,
not to deserve a mark of levity. And then, although
he was inclined in his heart to the Sacred Institutions
of the Society, he finished Rhetoric and the course
of Philosoph}^ and never gave out or manifested to
others his good intentions, except to his Holy Pro-
tectors, especially to the Sanctissima Maria and to
St. John Nepomuk. He undertook frequent devo-
tions and often received holy communion which
kindled in him a lively desire to become one of our
Society. He never doubted that this was the station
to which God had called him.
Father Provincial, to whom he meekly confided his
inmost desires, stimulated his intention with good
[25]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
hopes and encouraged him to continue his studies of
Rhetoric with unerring zeal. After he had finished
this and was preferred to a hundred other candi-
dates, he was admitted to the Society, without great
opposition on the part of his parents, who had differ-
ent plans and other honors for him in view. He
took the robe on the 9th of October, 1720 in Brunn
and thus became a real cleric. As Brother Antonio
was a fertile ground and as his soul was cultivated
with hundred fold fruits without weed and thorns.
Because his only study was, to learn to imprint into
himself that image which our Holy Father prescribes
in his Constitutions, giving there an exact observance
of all rules for continuous mortification, internal and
external, recommending not to overlook those defects
that conceal selfishness and finally following with
ardent zeal the religious advancement, in which he
distinguished himself throughout his life, depicting
in himself the image of a most passionate Novice of
the Society and as his aim in embracing our Institu-
tion was not alone to obtain his own salvation, but
also that of his neighbour, he began with great zeal,
showing with a joyful exterior a consuming religious
interior, when he came on Sundays into a village to
catechise little children and taking occasion to
preach to the adults with such an energy and such
success, that many of them abandoned their corrupt
habits and retired into harbour of a better (chris-
tian) life.
A like fervor he demonstrated at the pilgrimages
and other religious exercises customary in our
[26]
The Letter on Padre Antonio Tempis
Society with the Novices. At the end of his two
years novitiate he made the three vows in which
assurance is given not to remit from the Holy fervor
acquired during the novitiate and to lead a more
perfect life from day to day by unremitting per-
severance. By order of his Superiors, Antonio
added the study of science and art to his duties at
the University of Prag. He gave particular proof of
mental powder in an act of public performance in the
Anla Caroli, which was universally applauded. The
great progress he had made in virtue and in learning
during the years of study is best shown by the fact
that he became teacher of Grammar at the Slavic
Universit}^ for the three following years, admired
and revered by his pupils which consisted of a large
number of noble youths from all over the country
and who praised his great composure his modesty
and application. The free time between classes he
spent studying French and Italian, with the noble
aim to prepare himself that he might bring to these
peoples spiritual help when needed.
After his three years of teaching Brother Antonio
returned to the University of Prag, w^here he re-
passed a year of Mathematics and frequented the
four classes of Theology with great brilliancy and to
the entire satisfaction of his teachers, in spite of
making many apostolic excursions and preaching
numerous sermons, which enormous activity was
ordered by his Superiors, that trusted in his recog-
nized talent.
When Father Antonio had finished all these
[27]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
branches of learning, he was sent to Gitchin, Avhere
he spent his third probation and which he entered
with the utmost eagerness to reform his spirit which
seemingly had somewhat relaxed by his occupation
with science, so that Father Antonio, while studying
science knew how to divide the time well between
scientific studies and exercises of virtue, in order that
one never could hinder the other and put both into the
right road, for the purpose that was the aim of all
his doings ; love and glory of God.
While there, his Rev. ordered the methods,
after which he regulated his whole future life, and
there also he conceived for first time the desire to
solicit for the Ministry to the Indians and to dedi-
cate himself entirely to teaching and thus perchance
earn the crown of martyrdom. As he was lacking in
self confidence he earnestly recommended this affair
to God, to the Holy Mother and to San Francisco
Xavier, and it seems that heaven did not hesitate
in granting the object of his supplication, for only a
few days after a letter from the Father General
arrived, which contained the request for Mission-
aries for the Indians, and the order that qualified
Candidates should first present themselves to His
Holiness only the best fitted in learning and virtue.
At this occasion the Superiors found out Father
Antonio's inmost desire of being admitted to that
glorious service. But, no sooner had he received his
license from the Father General with a joyful heart,
than he became agitated with grave difficulties which
partly consisted of the resistance of his noble parents
[28]
The Letter on Padre Antonio Tempts
against his holy designs, partly in the opposition
of his coworkers, who felt sorry to see themselves
deprived of such excellent member. Nevertheless he
knew how to subdue the latter by telling them that
they should not put obstacles against the divine
Providence by cutting the thread of his predestina-
tion. While in regard to his kin folks he based his
conquest on the meditation of the lost child, that was
found in the temple, and through this artful device
he succeeded in conquering both difficulties. Besides
his entire family was much devoted to the great
Apostle San Francisco Xavier, and this he took as
pretext to tell them, that it was necessary to go to
the Indians to contribute ten years of work to the
Saint.
With such assurance he acquired the desired con-
sent and hurried to Genova and from there to Cadiz.
Already at the beginning of this journey he consid-
ered Spain as his province and therefore and to
comply with the orders of Our Holy Father, he
applied the Spanish idiom. It became necessary to
remain some months in Port Santa Maria, in order
that the entire outgoing Mission could unite and also
to wait for the sailing of the fleet of the kingdom.
During that time of waiting there arrived the news
of the death through murderous barbarians of the
two Missionary Fathers of California. This happen-
ing incited such desires of martyrdom in his breast
that he could not conceal them and he expressed
them in the following words: "Would only God and
His Holy Mother direct the will of my Superiors
[29]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
that they would send me to one of these Missions,
which these two martyrs irrigated with their blood,
to have the good fortune to imitate them in their
work with the hope to follow them also in their
glorious death.
With this hope he softened the many incon-
veniences which appeared during the long journey
from Cadiz to Vera Cruz, during which there was
never heard a word of complaint, and although he
had to suffer almost constantly with sea sickness, his
Reverence always showed a friendly face and spoke
pleasantly. He spoke mostly of the conversions of
souls and of divine love. The same method was ob-
served before at the journey from Genova to Cadiz,
for which custom the captain of the ship as well as
its sailors, all Englishmen, were devoted to Father
Antonio and praised his virtue and his zeal, when
he daily prayed his Rosary, which was always in his
hands. With such holy dispositions, arriving in
Santa Cruz after suffering shipwreck, only sorry that
God had not accepted the holocaust, which he desired
to be. Soon after arriving in Mexico and without
signs of being tired from the trip, he suggested to
the Superiors his longing for California.
Not only did they grant his petition, but they
assigned him precisely to one of those Missions,
where the blood of the Missionaries was spilled a
short time before. Father Antonio was happy in the
expectation to be a martyr of Christ, and became
more joyful with daily nearing his beloved Cali-
fornia. The following words of another Missionary
[30]
The Letter on Padre Antonio Tempis
who traveled a year later the same way show best
his virtue and his great zeal while on his way:
''Those desires for a Martyr's death he had con-
ceived and strengthened on the w^ay from Mexico to
California, so in various inns where his Reverence
had stopped, they told me that a Father Antonio
had crossed on his way to California, had great
desire to die a martyr, taking leave from every place
with the words! 'Adios, we shall die by the law of
God.' Everybody believed him to be extremely
religious for the glory of God and for the salvation
of the souls of his fello^\^nen. They extolled him as
a great confessor, as very benevolent with his
penitents and finally as preaching with the tongue
of a Saint."
He then arrived in California and at his Mission
in Santiago whose parishioners, after the rebellion and
murder of the minister Father Lorenzo Carranco,
were few in number, for most of them had gone up
to the mountains. He renewed here his resolution
to give his blood and life for his flock. It was in the
time when the Spaniards were in continuous war
against the Indians that the tender heart of Father
Antonio could not endure to see his children die by
violence of arms. He sent several invitations to the
fighting parties, assuring them that they would not
be molested in the least for their passed excesses if
they would follow the voice of their Pastor.
Noticing that this procedure had not the desired
effect, he fearlessly decided to go to search for them
personally, doubtless with the desire that if he
[31]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
could not bring them back to our hol}^ rule, he would
be lucky enough to die for Christ, but God has put
such efficacy on his lips that he persuaded a great num-
ber of them to change obediently their wolfish ferocity
into meekness of lambs. Such undertakings he has
repeated on various occasions with such success that
he finally brought them all back to the Society and
induced them to pay obedience to the same.
His Reverence knew well enough that children
would show a deeper interest in heaven than adults,
that had already grown into barbarism as in their
tender age they are better disposed to have stamped
into their hearts the pattern of politeness and Christi-
anity. Therefore, he applied his efforts to sepa-
rating them from their parents, taking them into his
home, where they had the opportunity to grow in
wisdom and to acquire good customs. The attain-
ment of this object has caused the Father no little
anxiety, since the Indians have great love for their
children.
It would lead too far, would we refer to all the
details of activity, troubles and hardship that it
cost him. The daily and constant attention to the
children, their instruction in prayer and pious exer-
cises which Father Antonio imposed on them, singing
devotional songs, confession, learning to hate evil
and appreciate the eternal, was admirable. All this
he obtained with his Seminarists, giving them all
instructions in an affable, kind and familiar manner,
in order that they might forget that congenital horror
for every suggestion and loose their inborn inclina-
[32]
The Letter on Padre Antonio Tempis
tion to live as vagabonds up in the mountains, like
wild beasts.
It did not take long for Father Antonio to stimulate
in them a liking of the new way of living, because he
managed to introduce innocent games and honest
entertainments between the drudgery of learning.
Therefore, he never excused fatigue or absence, even
at very inconvenient hours. His own zeal never
tired; frequently he visited his children at the dor-
mitories in inconvenient hours, watching over their
souls that they may not offend God and also pro-
tecting their bodies covering those that slept uncov-
ered. So great was his interest in the education of
the children that he took them with him when he
had to go out not to lose sight of them.
But his zeal was not limited to the well being of
the little ones, it expanded also over the adults,
whose good will he had already won by having made
the Mission attractive for their children. Thereby
he had no great difficulties in instilling into their
savage hearts the sacred mysteries of our Holy Faith
and consequenth" he easily induced them to lead
good Christian lives. He worked indefatigably
with one or another. And although the conversion
of Gentiles was not what his Reverence imagined or
wished there were in his party only two whom he
immediately converted, although with the help of
the difficult language of Persco, which he learned in
a short time. Contrary to the common expectation
there was abundant fruit, which he gathered for
[33]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscah, S. J.
Christ, as the barbarians had already changed their
customs, had abolished polygamy, infanticide and
superstition.
The best proof for the Father's enormous influence
over his people is the fact that he had been able to
convert these barbarians in a short time by his
powerful persuasion. Where he demonstrated his
most exuberant charity was during that universal
epidemic, with which the Lord has visited the
Southern Missions, and which has caused fearful
ravages among the Indians. Here he stood as
another Moses before his people, offering himself for
his flock to appease the ire of God in novenas, pen-
ances, special devotions and sacrifices. On the other
hand he never ceased to be his people's spiritual
director, caring for their souls as well as for their
bodies. This letter would increase into volumes, if
I would refer to all the details of the Father's
glorious work among his people during that fatal
period. In the splendor of eternity, however, all
these peculiarities and circumstances will be seen
clearer than we can express.
Suffice it to say that he worked so hard that it
seemed impossible for any human being to live under
such weight. As he had not succeeded to die as a
Martyr at the hand of the savage Indians, he re-
solved to sacrifice his life by his charity. Here he
exercised what he long ago had planted into his
Apostolic breast. From his notebook we learn that
he always assisted promptly the diseased, without
considering his own health, strength or life. His
[34]
The Letter on Padre Antonio Tempis
first care was always to attend first to the souls of
the threatened and the next to their bodies.
Often a patient stubbornly resisted in taking the
offered remedy. In such a case Father Antonio took
out his spoon and swallowed some of the medicine
before that patient's eyes, saying: "Look here, my
son, it is palatable and fine." He used on all these
occasions his own spoon with which he ate his food,
insensible of the danger of infection. But when he
had guests for dinner, as sometimes military officers
visited him, and the serving boy had carelessly put
this spoon by the plate of a guest, he would take it
away with the w^ords. "0 Sir, this spoon is for the
diseased, you must not eat with it," and his Rever-
ence himself used it, in order to subdue every aver-
sion of sickness and filthiness. Such familiar hand-
ling of the diseased at a time of an epidemic could
not remain without taking effect. At first he did not
take time to feel sickness but when he became unable
to attend to his diseased sons, his fatherly heart felt
sorry, because as the infection was so universal there
was nobody left, who would bring the sick to his bed
for confession. He complained to his friends about
his inability to assist the poor and prayed constantly
that God might help him. As soon as he could
breathe again he left his bed although still weak to
visit his people, that lived in dispersed huts on horse-
back and as no vehicle of any kind was obtainable
he many times crawled with hands and feet on im-
passable hills to save a soul for heaven.
With his charitable functions he recuperated the
[35]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
greater part of his strength and returned to his ac-
customed activity. For him there was no distance
too great, no mountains too high, no hill too rough.
He walked with no other road and needed no other
guide than charity. His zeal to assist the sick made
him go out in every kind of weather. The burden of
such continuous work and trouble finally caused a
furious croup with evacuations, which from beginning
boreboded danger. To all around him it appeared
alarming, only to his Rev. not in the least ; he could
not be convinced that it was necessary to give up his
duties, until he had to be carried on the third day
from the altar to his bed.
And although his Rev. procured the assistance of a
Religious from San Juan De Dios, who did everj-thing
in his power to resist with medicines the disease of
the Father, he could not prevent his coming shortly
to the door of death. Receiving the Hoty Sacrament,
he passed away to gain the reward for his Apostolic
duties as we expect of the Divine clemency, on the
6th of eTuly 1746 in his 44th year, 26th of the Society,
10th of the profession of 4 vows and 10th as Mis-
sionary.
From his novitiate till the end of his life he was
an exact observer of the rules of our Constitution,
so careful in all its details that he almost had reached
perfection. He did not miss a single spiritual ex^
ercise and not only filled out his time with meditation
but also prepared himself for it. He was most regu-
lar in saying Mass daily ; when it sometimes happened
that he had to go far away for confession, he hurried
[36]
The Letter on Padre Antonio Tempis
back and said Mass at any hour. Whenever he found
an occasion he heard confession and even searched for
penitents on his travels. And finally during the time
of his Missionary- career he has observed the devotions
that could be expected in a ver\' exact convent.
So as not to starve the soul while eating, he
made one of his Indians read out of some devotional
book. He was a model of modesty, meekness, morti-
fication and patience, but never did am-thing to ex-
cess, but in ever\i:hing he observed the golden rule.
He, who so carefully observed those things which to
observe is not so great an obligation, can readily under-
stand how much greater was his care for the vows.
It would be rather offence against his perfection to say
that he never committed any fault in his obligations,
but he had promised to God since November 13, 1734
with a special vow, not to consent voluntarily to any
venial sin, which promise he kept in a most perfect
way.
He arrived at his Mission, when the mission build-
ing was roofless and when the most necessary provi-
sions could not be obtained ; but he never complained,
neither verbally nor in his written notes, containing
his Diarios, which he made very regularly since the
very first day of his arrival. It made him happy to
follow the example of Christ, his master, in poverty.
He never wore a new Sotana (Cassock) as long as his
old admitted repairing. Although with the permis-
sion of his superiors he possessed some little jewels,
given to him as souvenirs of relatives at his departure,
he never wore them, but used the most valuable of
[37]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
them for the benefit of his Neophytes. In his lodging
was not found one thing unnecessary; in ever5rthing
he demonstrated his appreciation of a holy poverty,
which he used to sweeten with his refrain : ' * All our
work shall be for the love of God: virtue consists in
practice and not in the words of the vow. ' '
In this spirit he gave away his last piece of cloth,
when the occasion for it came. He chastised his body
with rough treatment and rigorous discipline. Al-
though he did much to hide all his mortifications, they
would manifest themselves in his exterior. I found
after his death some instrument with which he used
to slap his body to break his skin. His fastings could
be called continuous, because even during ordinary
days he abstained from eating what could be called a
real dinner. He alwaj^s divided it almost entirely
between his Seminariotes. So it came that he ate
more while he was sick than he did when well.
Great as were Father Antonio's bodily mortifica-
tions to which were added various accidents, taken
by him as great benefits, sent by the Lord, greater
still were his inward mortifications. In the mortifi-
cations of the soul, as the most agreeable to God, lie
has put his most careful attention and with the con-
tinuous victories over himself he arrived at a com-
plete domination over his susceptibility. His
whole life was a continuous violence against and a
succession of victories over his nature. In denying
his senses everything to which they were most inclined
he procured the greatest abnegation and a high degree
of perfection. While he was sick, he never would con-
[38]
The Letter on Padre Antonio Tempis
fess that he was, but answered invariably to the usual
question about his health **Very well/'
Of his modesty can in short be said, that it was
noticeable in all his actions and words, believing him-
self to be a useless member of the Society, mistrust-
ing himself in all and everything and putting all his
confidence in God, whom he always had before him.
For one, so united with His heavenly Majesty, it
is not strange that he surpass in some cases the natu-
ral limits, which, if not miracles, seemed to be such to
the Secular Laity that knew the Father and had a
high opinion about his sanctity. On a certain occasion
he walked in company with some military officers,
who were known as experts in matters of land and
weather, into the mountains, when all of a sudden
black clouds came up and threatened to bring about
a waterspout. When the militaries made hurried
preparations to save the Father and themselves from
drowning, he smilingly said, that all this was not
necessary and that a sackcloth would do to protect
themselves and so it was.
When on the return of the same journey the sky
was without a cloud and the air was clear, the Father
said to his companions to prepare against a heavy
shower, which would come immediately, they smiled,
but in less than fifteen minutes there came a rain storm
as if the end of the world was near. Another, even
more marvelous event occurred, when a ferocious bull
appeared from which the country people fled, while
the Father remained unmoved at his place with no
other weapen than the key to his house in his hand.
[39]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, 8. J.
The furious beast, seeing no other object to satisfy his
ire ran against the Father, who remained uninjured,
demonstrating that a higher power had protected
him. No less had he been favored by heaven to dis-
cover the secrets of hearts. A military assured us
that all the time he had accompanied the Rev. he felt
peace in his heart and that nothing of his thoughts
remained hidden before Father Antonio.
According to his agreement with God he increased
contribution by special devotions to the Saints at
hours outside of his oecvipations and charitable work
in which he spent the greater part of the night. He
was especially devoted to San Juan Nepomuck, fast-
ing in honor of his day, which he celebrated with the
greatest possible solemnity. This Saint was so at-
tentive to his client, that once when on Friday the
Father had no food for the day of fast for his patron
and had prayed a long while, a hawk flew down on a
nearby Palm tree with a good sized fish in his claws,
which he dropped down. This favor encouraged the
Father in his hopes of obtaining others in which peo-
ple could not believe. The following is the case : the
spring that provided the Mission with water became
dry. It seemed to be impossible to remain and every-
body save Father Antonio voted for changing place
of the parish. But all the eloquence in favor of a
change was in vain. Father Antonio prayed to his
great patron day and night. He arranged a Novena
in his honor, and when this was not effective, he ar-
ranged a second and then a third, adding the promise
of erecting a Chapel. With this holy stubbornness
[40]
The Letter on Padre Antonio Tempis
he had the satisfaction to see water in the spring in
the same abundance as before.
This trustful devotion to his glorious Nepomuck
did not prevent him in the veneration of the other
Saints, especially to his holy founder whom he loved
as a son, dedicating to him the greatest service in exact
observation of his rules. In his manuscripts he con-
fesses that the three happiest days in his life were
the one when he made his vows for Religion, another,
when he celebrated Mass for the first time and the
third when he united closer with the body of the So-
ciety for his profession of the four vows.
Our devout Father did not ignore the fact that the
principal Patroness of his glorious Patriarch and his
institution was Maria Sanctissima, whom he imitated
as a true son does, having her as the first in his de-
votions which he practised since his first years of life
and followed to his death. She was the great Queen
of his heart, the charm of his tenderness, the aim of
his affections. He fasted in her honor not only every
Mary's feast day, but every Saturday of the year. Her
name he had always on his lips to bless her and to
weigh the greatness of her protection. In praying
the holy Rosary he was unfailing, not thinking of
sleep, without having before crowned his Mother with
this act of devotion and in order that the children of
his care might not fail in this service for the Queen of
Heaven, he made them come to Church every even-
ing to pay homage and respect to her.
To her as Patron he dedicated all his labors, every
Novena in honor to some Saint had a part to the
[41]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
Queen, to her comforter in every trouble, he prayed
in every one of his afflictions and griefs and never
missed her help.
The following occurrence confirmed his strong belief
in her protection: in the year 46 in the month of
May the waterpool, from which they irrigated the
fields in one of his Parishes became dry and threatened
to destroy the crop. In this trouble he resorted for
help to his ' ' Sanctissima mother of the Light" as he
called her during his later years, imploring her help
with a Novena and solemn procession, in which he
carried her image to the said parish. Immediately
the water in the pool began to push with greater
abundance than before, giving to the Father new
cause to extolling the. powerful intercession of the
great Mother.
During the 28 days of his last sickness he spoke
little, except when somebody came into his house who
was ignorant of that occurrence. To him he would
say: ''Father" or "Sir, don't you know of the great
benefit the Most Holy Mother of the Light has con-
ferred on us, giving us water in greater abundance
at the old Mission?"
And it is no wonder that his Rev. enjoyed such
temporary blessings from heaven as he never thought
of anything for himself but only for his flock, for
which he was all charity. Everyone found in Father
Antonio what he needed for his soul and for his body.
For sinners he had affability and advice, the tepid
encouragement for the mournful consolation, the
destitute, shelter, the persecuted asylums. He per-
[42]
The Letter on Padre Antonio Tempis
sonally worked to gain souls in his Mission ; lie worked
with charity and won souls, giving help to the needy
and so supplying them with all they wanted. If any-
body inclined to interpret the matter, could have
seen Father Antonio in the silence of night (not to
be observed) take off the Cassock, take a spade in his
hands and go to irrigate his berry beds, and could have
accused him of treasuring his possession instead of
taking it as an act dictated by charity to lighten the
work of his boys in securing food for them and to be
able to help the needy. And those who could have
seen him at some feasts, taking from his pantry honey
casks or other things to offer them to his military
guests as targets to shoot at, could have judged him
as doing improper, vain or wasteful things, yet he
cleared his conscience through confession and
strengthened it with the holy Eucharist.
Nobody could find in his Rev. anything but meek-
ness, affability and profound desire to do good unto
all, making himself beloved by God and men. And
to say all in a few words: Father Antonio in all he
did showed charity to his fellowmen and was so much
accustomed to good deeds that even in his delirium
during his sickness he could not refrain from them.
The Father knew that his end was near, as he ex-
pressed himself in a number of different ways,, first
in not one of his previous sick spells would he call for
his Confessor, although sometimes he felt extremely
weak, as he afterwards acknowledged, while in this
last response he immediately called for him, greeting
him at his arrival with the words : ' ' Father, the time
[43]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscah, 8. J.
of parting has come." Second: three weeks before
he became sick and knowing that his Confessor him-
self was ill, he wrote three letters to him, in everyone
asking him to take very good care of himself, because
after a short while he would want him urgently.
His sickness and following death was universally
lamented by all who had known him and much more
so by those near him, who would have been willing to
make every sacrifice to win over God's design with
devotions, tears and vows to the Saints ; but this time
their prayers were not fulfilled, because the Lord
wanted him for himself. Even we, who assisted him,
could not dissimulate our feeling, when he, in full
soundness of mind and faculties, received the Sacra-
ment of the Eucharist and holy extreme unction, say-
ing with amiable courtesy: ''nobody should be timor-
ous, as I am not, and proving his words by exterior
serenity and joyfulness by which he exposed the senti-
ments of his heart." He doubtless could say with the
Apostle, "Bonum certamen certavi, cursum consum-
avi, fidem servari, in religno reposita est mihi corona
Justitiae, quam reddet mihi Dominus."
And with this hope he gave up his happy soul to
God in a death appeased and quiet, giving up signs
with his eyes and he closed his eyes with his last
breath, leaving us with the longing not alone for his
amiable conversation but also with a desire to follow
him in his glorious footsteps into heaven, where he
must be, entreating God for the entire Society, that
He may preserve it in the genuine spirit of its holy
founder, as he did in life daily in a particular prayer,
[44]
The Letter on Padre Antonio Tempis
which he had for the occasion. No doubt your Very
Rev. will act in the same way, not forgetting me in
your holy sacrifices.
San Ignacio, Oct. 1, 1748
Yours very Rev. servant in Christ
Fernando Consag.
145]
IV
His Exploration from Loretto Up to
Colorado River
IN variety of opinions in about determining the
geographical situation, longitude and latitude,
of the California, calculated by various geographers,
South sea pilots, navy engineers, question was, which
of which could be preferred? And no doubt it was
this, which occasioned the prudent reserve of Father
Ferdinand Konsak, who in the year 1746, took a par-
ticular survey of the eastern coast of California, up
to the river Colorado, in order to determine with ac-
curacy, its situation, and the dispute relating to its
junction with the continent, has not ventured to set
down the longitude in its original maps.
Account of the voyage of Father Ferdinand Con-
sag, missionary of California, performed for survey-
ing the eastern coast of California to its extremity,
the river Colorado, by the order of the Father Christ-
obal de Escobar y Llamas provincial of New Spain
in the year 1746.
On the ninth of June 1746, we departed in four
canoes from San Carlos, which lies in 28 degrees North
latitude, the shallowness of the water in this harbor
admitting only of canoes. The watering places of
St. Anne are three leagues from it. There are several
[40]
His Exploraiion from Loretto Up to Colorado River
brackish pits, but the rains washing away the nitre
greatly mend the water. The harbour, its watering
places, and some hamlets are included within two
capes, which advance a great way into the sea : these
are Las Virgines, and San Gabriel de la Sermejas or
Sal Si Puedes*. Both points are lofty and lie N. E.
and S. W. from each other. Having staid till it was
flood, we departed about eleven, and towards the
evening came into the bay of La Santissima Trinidad,
where there is a pearl fishery. Though this bay be
large beyond the first cape, it affords little shelter
against a S. E. wind; and beyond the other you are
exposed to the North. In the middle of it an island
from which a reef of rocks stretches into the sea, and
by the ebb and flood are alternately seen and covered.
This island has been very fatal to the pearl-divers,
man}^ of them having perished here. The water in a
creek of the bay is brackish; and though the cape
where it terminates be S.S.E. the adjacent coast runs
N.E. and is full of rocks ; some above the others under
water. At its point and extremity is the bay of San
Barnabe, and opposite to it a low island frequented
by sea wolves.
10th. We prosecuted our voyage against the wind ;
but stormy water coming on, in the last quarter of the
moon, we ran under San Barnabe.
11th. We set sail in the morning with a calm sea
for San Juan Baptista, which cape lies N.N.W. of
the place we left. This cape is only such in regard
of the bay of de San Barnabe, which lies behind it.
Sal Si Pucdes :get out if you can.
[47]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
But beyond is a continued shore running also N.N.W.
It is low, and being clayey, makes a reddish appear-
ance. The whole coast is very bad, and dangerous
from the many rocks and stony shelves about it. At
three in the morning we were obliged to run in be-
tween a reef of rocks, and cape San Juan which lies
little further, where we found some shelter from the
hard gales at North, which blew that day and part
of the night.
12th. About six in the morning after Mass, we
proceeded to weather the first cape of San Juan. This
point and another form bay, but of no manner of
shelter unless against winds blowing from the shore.
The bay beyond it is pretty large, but so far from be-
ing landlocked that any wind makes a terrible sea
there. We crossed it in a calm; it terminated at a
low cape of San Miguel. This and Punta Gorda form
another bay, in which is a pearl fishery; and the sea
in a storm throws up great quantities of shells, on
which account the divers call this place la Pepena.
It has a spring near a creek, but the water is thick
and brackish. The natives are all Christians. The
bay is entirely open to all winds, except the North
and North East under Gorda point, where we anchored
being wind bound.
13th. In this country of San Miguel de la Pepena,
numbers of Indians came from several parts, to whom
a sermon was preached, and many children baptized,
their fathers bringing them voluntarily.
14th. About six in the morning we left San Miguel
bay, after founding the places fit for shelter. Near
[48]
His Exploration from Loretto Up to Colorado River
Gorda point, opposite to a low gravelly shore, there
is at low water good anchorage, in a sandy bottom with
four fathom water; but nearer the point, where a
broken rock lies on the shore, is six fathoms w^ater,
and bottom stone or sand.
Another anchorage place was discovered facing a
broken rock; hence are also several other rocks, and
the country of clayey soil over-run with thistles and
broom, and watered hy streams from the neighboring
heights. The beach consists of small gravel ; and at the
distance of a musket shot is a good anchoring place
nine fathoms deep at low water, and a sandy bot-
tom. All these stations are sheltered from the North
and North East winds, hy the cape which also breaks
the violence of the sea. Cape Gorda consists of rocks
resembling red marble decorated with yellow and
white spots, and is frequented by innumerable flights
of birds. The island of Tortuguilla, by the Californi-
ans called Serro bianco or the white mountain, liea
East and West from Gorda point on the other side
which is low^er; and bears from San Gabriel de las
Almajas or Sal Si Puedes, S.S.E. and N.N.W. These
capes form a large bay, half of each is surrounded
with mountains; the part is low and sandy. At the
end of those mountains is a spring, situated among
the rocks, the water of which the Indians of that place
make use of in time of ebb. There is also a rancheria
of Indians on the low coast behind the last piece of
high land, a small spring of brackish water being
found here in a kind of bog. The people on seeing
the canoes took us for divers, and fled up the country;
[49]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, B. J.
the outrages and brutality of those men having ren-
dered them equally dreaded and detested by all the
natives of California but, on being acquainted by
some of their countrymen, who were with me, that a
father was come in the canoes, they immediately re-
turned. The great sea which runs here even in fair
weather would not allow us to stay, and it was
with great difficulty we took in a little water. We
now attempted to weather the cape of San Gabriel
de Sal Si Puedes so greatly dreaded by seamen, on
account of those islands, several contiguous points of
land, and many ledges of sunken rocks extending a
great way from the land. Here the sea is so agitated
by the current, that a gale or a clam makes but little
difference. Among the capes opposite to a yellow
cavern and a shore of white sand, is an anchoring
place sheltered from all winds except the East, and
a little on this side of it is a creek, at the mouth of
which is three fathom at low water; further up too,
and afterwards only half a fathom. On the land or
West side it is deeper than to the eastward ; the bot-
tom is composed of sand and shells. Soon after we
had anchored, the Indians before mentioned at the
watering place, came to me with their children, desir-
ing they might be baptized. Opposite to cape San
Gabriel, the famous islands of Sal Si Puedes begin;
which at the middle of the straight formed four chan-
nels. As we were departing, two new converts came,
with advice that the Indians further up the country
were coming in a warlike manner, with a resolution
to kill me and all my company. They gave several
[50]
His Exploration from Loretto Up to Colorado River
bundles of arrows for my men, advising me to keep
a good look out.
15th. In the afternoon, by the help of a South
East wind, we went out of this harbour which ter-
minates in a black cape of rocks, on both sides of
which are caverns and a ledge of rocks extended all
along the sea as far as the next bay called San Raph-
ael, where are several sunken rocks and capes, but
among them many caves for canoes and a tolerable
good harbour ; a favorable wind assisted us to weather
those capes, but I was obliged to leave it in order to
take a survej^ of the bay. It is mostly level and sandy,
especially towards the East side; partly bordered by
rocks and high banks of sand; in some part beach.
The three isles near California lying before this bay
are, hy reason of their distance, no defence to it
against the sea. At the close of evening we anchored
near a part of the shore sheltered from the South
East wind.
16th. Though the sea was rough we proceeded to
take a survey of the remaining part of the bay. At
the mouth of the Cadacaman we saw some Indians to
whom we sent word, that they should forbear any
hostilities against the divers. Their answer was that
neither they nor any of the inhabitants of the coast
committed any but the mountaineers only. The North
East wind hindered us from reaching the watering
place of San Raphael, but gave us an opportunity of
discovering several springs of hot water, near some
white rocks. At full sea they are covered, but at
low water are seen issuing from the sand, behind some
[51]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscah, 8. J.
fragments of rocks. There are also others along the
same beach, at the beginning of a sandy bay. At
full sea the water for the space of half league is tinged
with red mixed with a faint blue. Here we met with
some Indians, who inhabited the coast, and others who
resided among the mountains, and seemed to be of a
cheerful friendly disposition. They offered all the
presents their poverty would admit of, but we only
accepted of a little fish, and that they were well paid
for. On hearing that we were going to the watering
place of San Raphael, they accompanied us, and we
arrived there at sunset. Here is but little shelter
for canoes, so that the safest way is to ground them.
Not far from the beach is a large pond, and near it
a well, which when cleansed affords good water. Here
we found a great number of Indians, who appeared
very well pleased at seeing us, and made us presents
of fish, though they had the year before killed a diver,
being informed by those whom we have met, that the
canoes did not belong to those people, but that a
father was coming. This assured them of good treat-
ment; and out of curiosity to see him, they all came
down together to the shore. But on seeing some of
the natives of the other coast whom, from their wan
complexion, they call Yaques, they began to whisper
to one another, till, no longer able to conceal their
aversion, they openly asked their Christian country-
men, why the father, as he was coming this way,
would have any Yaques with him. I have already
intimated that these animosities of Californians
against the Yaques proceed from the hostilities com-
[52]
His Exploration from Loretto Up to Colorado River
mitted against them, and the depredations their
rancherias have suffered from them. In the diving
time, they endeavor to drive them from the country,
so that it is no more than natural, that savages, whose
vindictive temper has not been softened by instruc-
tion, should make little scruple of killing a Yaque
wherever they meet with him. At our return from
the expedition we had a signal proof of the terror
which these excesses had impressed on their minds,
for many whole families who were come down, being
told when night came on to withdraw with their wives
and children to a place of safety, showed some unwill-
ingness, and when I urged them, they answered, that
if they went away, the Yaques would come in the
night to their dwellings. I bid them not be afraid;
for the sentinels of the soldiers and natives would
hinder any such design; and that if such a thing
should happen, assistance should immediately be sent
them. At this they seemed easy and went away, being
informed that those whom I had with me from the
other coast, I had brought as men who understand the
management of canoes, which their Californian coun-
trj^men, from residing in the mountains, knew nothing
of.
17th. I called the Indians together, and talked
with them of the injustice of the action, showed them
the foulness of crime, and the danger to which they
exposed themselves by a return of the like violences
and represented to them the inconveniences of their
wild life, and indecency of their customs. In the
meantime water had been taken on board and we
[53]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konlcak, S. J.
sailed away with a favorable land breeze, which how-
ever soon after failed us, and we were obliged to go
around the cape by rowing. Between this cape and
another formed by the coast of San Antonio north-
ward of the former, the shore forms a semicircular
bay. A little farther is a dusky mountain which be-
ing a peninsula, has on one side shelter for the South
East wind and on the other from the North. A
little beyond the middle of this coast, are two other
creeks nearly contiguous, but the many sunken rocks
there abouts make the entrance very difficult. Through
these openings you have the prospects of a fertile coun-
try, but the shore being very dangerous, a more ac-
curate view could not be taken. Here, two Indians
from San Raphael called to us from the top of the
rocks, telling us that a little farther there was a bay
and that they were going to inform the inhabitants
of our coming. After having rowed the greatest part
of the day, we in the night observed an inlet, sur-
rounded with high mountains, but after getting round
the cape, we found it had a shore, where at the foot
of the mountains canoes might be safe from the East
and South East winds. We continued our way for
some time in the dark, without well knowing whither
we were going, till we had sight of several large fires,
and thence concluded that we were not far from the
shore, which however, we did not reach till midnight.
As we were unacquainted with it, and to avoid any
hostility from the Indians, among whom it is a strata-
gem to set fire to their cottages, and lurk in some
adjacent place, in order to surprise and fall upon
[54]
His Exploration from Loretto Up to Colorado River
any one that comes thither, we lay at an anchor till
day came on.
18th. The preceding night was very troublesome
on account of the continual rollings of the canoes.
In the morning finding ourselves near a stony shore,
we weighed anchor and went further into the bay,
where three islands form a basin, wherfe any vessel
may lie secure from all winds, with a sufficient depth
of water and a sandy bottom. It has three creeks, one
at each extremity, and one in the middle, which is the
shallowest ; and at the end of it is the watering place.
Here we landed on a very convenient and safe shore,
to which we were directed by one of the Indians who
had followed us. We called the bay Purgatory, in
commemoration of our having amidst the darkness of
the night fortunately escaped from the multitude of
rocks in it. The distance from the bottom of the bay
to the point is about three leagues. Not far from this
point and middle of the entrance, is another island
the land of which is remarkably broken and craggy.
The inhabitants of the country came to pay me their
compliments; and besides some agreeable presents
for the comfort of their bodies, I did not dismiss them
without discoursing on the salvation of their souls
in a manner best suited to their capacities. The
neighboring country, considering it as a part of Cali-
fornia, is not despicable.
19th. The canoes which had anchored in a suffici-
ent depth of water, were grounded in the morning;
the water having ebbed away more than a fathom.
We took in water, and were preparing to sail, when
' [55]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
an Indian came as an express that the mountaineers
had the night before intended to give ns a morning
visit ; but as all who had been concerned in this pur-
pose were not come, they deferred paying it till they
arrived at the watering place ; at last we were obliged
to put to sea with a contrary wind, which increasing,
hindered us from weathering the cape; and all we
could do was to run in shore near the northern ex-
tremity of the bay which, though surrounded with
mountains, has a good shore of sand, but with some
rocky spots.
20th. We weathered cape Las Animas, which is
everywhere bordered with rocks above and under
water. The two points lie South West and North
East from each other. North of this cape is a low
island which, with the rocks that run from it to a
great distance into the sea, appears triangular. It
is only the haunt of sea wolves and fowls. A little
farther are several convenient inlets affording shelter
from the South East and North winds, which are most
to be feared in this straight. Not far from hence is
also another cape in the form of a trident with reefs
of sunken rocks running into the sea near half a
league. Here is generally a great agitation of the
water. Beyond this cape vessels, at least small crafts,
may lie secure from the South East winds. This is
followed by a bay called De Los Angeles. Along its
entrance runs a chain of islands which contribute to
its security. Their number is so great that we could
not count them either in going or returning. Most
of them are lofty, but not of great circumference.
[56]
Women of California
Men of California
His Exploration from Loretto Up to Colorado River
The bay is large and affords anchorage for all kinds
of vessels. The water extends to the foot of an emi-
nence which makes a part of the high and craggy ser-
rania ridge of mountains; for going directly to the
spring the land-mark on the starboard side is a black
rock, beyond which are some others white. On the
larboard side is a sand a league in length, projecting
from the low land. Besides these marks the verdure
of the herbs growing near the springs show the water-
ing places. The water is good, and being on an emi-
nence may be easily taken on board. It is sufficient
for watering ships, but not for the lands, there being
no great quantity of it. The Indians here formed an
assemblage of different rancherias ; they were all well
armed, very haughty, and had quivers full of arrows
contrary to the custom of the country. Besides the
precaution given us at Las Animas, their gestures and
cries gave us to understand they had no good design.
We, however, endeavored by all manner of presents
and signs of affection to make them easy, but to no
purpose, continuing with confused cries and showing
their bows to challenge us to an engagement. This
induced us to make preparation against any night as-
sault, their courage never failing to call in the aids
of treachery, and they watch the time of the night
as the fittest for the surprise. They approach with
all the caution and silence imaginable, discharge their
arrows then give a shout and fly. These Indians in
their assault on us had divided themselves, some being
posted on the North, at a little distance from our
camp ; others southward and nearer, in order to have
[57]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
us, as it were, between two fires and utterly cut off
our retreat. The natives of the bay of Los Angeles,
elevated with the murders they had committed on the
divers, looked upon themselves as invincible, especial-
ly as they were joined by auxiliaries from all the
rancherias with whom they were in friendship, so
that possibly such a number of them was never before
seen together. But by the favor of Almighty this
formidable army was dispersed only by a sally of five
soldiers, and thirty Christian Indians, who about
three in the afternoon marched out against the largest
body, which was encamped on the North side. These
arrogant cowards at the sight of our men, without
standing one fire, fled in the utmost confusion leaving
behind even their wives and children, nor did they
stop till they had reached the very summit of the
rocks, where concluding they were safe, they skipped,
shouted, and made many threatening postures which
we did not think worth regarding. We examined
all their caverns and retreats, but finding only the
women and children, which had been unnaturally left
behind, we treated them with all possible marks of
tenderness, assuring them, that no harm should hap-
pen to them, but all our promises were not sufficient
to hinder them from running away, and leaving their
children. These were taken care of with the few
women that remained, whilst others went after the
fugitives to endeavor to bring them back, but it being
now sunset, and the mountain extremely difficult to
ascend, the}^ returned, some muskets were fired to
terrify them, which it did to such a degree that though
[58]
Woman of California times of his exploration
His Exploration from Loretto Up to Colorado River
the remaining part of the mountain above them was
remarkably steep, it is incredible with what agility
they gained the utmost peak, and the next morning
not one of them was to be seen. The other body who
lay to the southward continued without making any
motion, and tho we concluded that either of them-
selves by spies, or by some of the northern fugitives,
they would hear of the fate of confederates, to prevent
their attacking us in the night, yet the sentinel at
that quarter was ordered to fire from time to time.
We inquired of the women left behind what was the
reason of such a concourse of people, and they in-
genuously confessed they belonged to the rancherias
of the north, some of which had failed coming; that
the time appointed for general meeting had been that
night ; that an Indian, father of some girls then pres-
ent, was the chief of the northern rebels, who foment-
ed hatred against all those who came in canoes. They
added of their own accord that the design of dividing
themselves into two parties was to hem us in on every
side, that we might not escape. On their asking of
water, we gave them also something to eat, and the
children we pleased with sweetmeats, then directed
them to go to sleep without any fear, that the sentinel
would take care of them. One thing raised our ad-
miration, namely the total nakedness of the girls. The
Californians of the Cochimy nation, tho extremely
poor, and have no clothing, yet decency and modesty
have taught them to make a kind of apron of the fila-
ments of sedge strung on threads of mescal, which
reach from the belly to the knee, and this, I think,
[59] -
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
shows a great regard to that virtue which constitutes
female excellence, and a w^oman who is pregnant, in
case the child should prove of her own sex, provides
it with a little apron of this sort. We saw nothing
of that commendable practice in the territory of this
bay. Let us hope, that by favor of heaven, it will
be soon introduced, and that by the light of the faith
they will come to see the turpitude of such nudity.
21st. The Indians were sent away with their chil-
dren and effects; but leave was hardly given before
they, like the former, left their children, and in short
all their effects. They were soon brought back again,
and fresh arguments used with them not to be in the
least afraid, and to acquaint their husbands and the
rest of the people, that they also might be perfectly
easy and return to the west, and the watering place ;
and if they had been pursued the day before, it was
not with an intent of hurting them, but as they had
provoked the Christians by an unbecoming design of
falling on them by night, it was necessary to show
them notwithstanding their great numbers, we were
not in the least afraid of them: that had we been
enemies, we should have killed their wives and chil-
dren; that they might be assured of a sincere peace;
that we were Christians, and as such made war on no
nation, but endeavored everywhere to promote tran-
quility and benevolence ; that these canoes and the
people in them were under the direction of a father,
who had a great love for the Indians. This discourse
made them perfectly easy, so that they took up their
children and utensils and retired to their country-
[60]
His Exploration from Loretto Up to Colorado River
men. Afterwards some of our people having sight of
a spy coming from the southern party, ran after him,
but he was too nimble for them, however, in the pur-
suit they met with a woman who informed them of
another watering place. The people had all dispersed,
and in the place she mentioned we found a great deal
of fresh sedge lately out. In the meantime some of
the northern party appeared, possibly moved by the
report of their wives, or the sight of their children
and effects, which they had left behind, or compelled
by thirst, there being no water within a great distance,
except on the place where we were encamped. In the
evening when the great heats were abated, three
soldiers with the Indians who came in the canoes,
went to take a view of the coast towards the south.
In their way, they saw some Indians on a mountain,
but our men making towards them, with an activity
seldom seen in Europeans, climbed up the peak. They
did not reach the watering place, as the sun was just
setting, but returned to the boats. The land wind
here blew so fresh, that in the morning it tore away
the tent in which Mass was said. At night its violence
increased, so that one of the canoes broke from her
anchor, and was not recovered till near the islands
which defend the entrance of the bay of Los Angeles.
22nd. We continued our voyage with a favorable
wind, which for some hours was succeeded by a hard
gale from the land, that we were obliged to make
for shore. On the beach we saw several Indians armed
with bows and arrows, but on our approach, they fled
as usual. We pursued them till late, and not knowing
[Cl]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
whether we could weather the cape, and there find
shelter for our canoes, we ran into the northern elbow
of the bay, which is large enough to contain a great
number of ships, and terminates in a shallow creek
where the current of the ebb is extremely violent.
23rd. We got round the point of Los Angeles,
which in respect of the other lies N.N.E. and S.S.W.
The N.N. East point is formed by three craggy emi-
nences, at the foot of which are a great many rocks,
some sunken and others appearing above water. In
it are two ports affording shelter in bad weather, but
it must be noted that opposite an island, above the
cordiliera of the island of Los Angeles is a cape bor-
dered with a multitude of rocks. The coast as far
as Los Remedios is also rocky and gravelly. The bay
of Nostra Senora de Los Remedios begins at a small
island, and near a white shore. In this bay is shelter
from the South East wind, and some black eminences
secure it from the North. Here is a pearl fishery.
24th. Being now wind bound, some went to take
a view of the moutains, but found nothing remark-
able. They imagined to have discovered a bay; but
it was the coast, which regard to the large island del
Angel de la Guarda, has the appearance of a bay.
This island begins a little beyond cape San Raphael
and terminates a little on this side of San Juan and
San Pablo. This island, which is very mountainous,
has several hays and capes. Its extremity on South
East part is narrow, but northwards something broad-
er. The channel betwixt this island and the coast is so
full of whales, that it is called Daranal de Balenas.
[62]
His Exploration from Loretto Up to Colorado River
Whilst some were taking a view of the country,
w^e made an experiment of diving for pearls, and the
shells near the shore were found better than those in
the offing.
25th. We were for sailing out with a land gale,
but the violent squalls with which it was accompanied,
deterred us from venturing. At length it ceased and
during the remainder of the day we proceeded, it
being sometimes calm, and sometimes the wind con-
trary. We kept along the coast which is very moun-
tainous, and sea so full of sunken rocks, that the
canoes often struck against them. That in which I was
struck twice, and thereby damaged her rudder. A
light canoe was sent before in order to get everything
ready for taking in water. The Indians of the coun-
try perceived us, and running to their arms, set up
those shouts and cries which are customary among
them before an action. These were intermixed with
leapings and ridiculous gesticulations. But when they
saw that our people put the canoes ashore and leaped
on the beach, well armed, they betook themselves to
their usual refuge, the summits of the mountains.
Here they stopped, and our man called out to them.
But such was their fear, that instead of entering into
a conference, they turned about and fled. At sunset
we came to a level, gravelly shore but unsafe. How-
ever, the want of water, and being unacquainted with
the coast beyond it, obliged us to stay here, though
with some danger.
26th. Some people were sent up a pretty large
creek, to see if there was any watering place there-
[63]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
abouts, which was conjectured from some fresh palm
branches, and flags which had been left there by the
Indians, which were certainly brought from other
parts, as our people found neither tree nor flag in all
their search. Others who had followed the track of
Indians in their flight found a pond at a few leagues
distance. In order to find watering place, the follow-
ing marks, in coming from the sea, should be obsei-Ycd.
The shore is narrow and of a white sand, terminating
at a hill of a reddish color. This place was dedicated
to St. John and St. Paul, the day we visited it being
the festival of those martyrs.
27th. We departed with a land breeze; and after
sailing by some low hills along the coast, we saw on
a neighboring mountain two Indians, who called on
us, but we were too far below them to understand
what they said. However, from their inaccessible
place, and their insulting gestures, we supposed they
challenged us to an action. Perceiving we took no
notice of them, they brandished their bows and arrows
with loud acclamations, leaping at the same time with
great agility. One especially distinguished himself
in these feats of activity, either by way of parade
or as more enraged against us. His motions were sur-
prisingly quick, sometimes dancing, sometimes turn-
ing around on one foot, till at last forgetting himself
in the conceit of his dexterity, and not attending to
the danger of the rocks, his foot slipped and he rolled
down the precipice like a stone; but to our astonish-
ment he received no harm, climbing up again, though
[04]
His Exploration from Loretto Up to Colorado River
not with his usual celerity, and even his companions
came to assist him. This occasioned a great deal of
diversion to our people, but the Indians were so
ashamed that they made off, and we had no farther
sight of them. At noon we opened a bay, which has
a deceitful appearance of safety, the only sheltering
place being behind the first point, and this is rocky
with a narrow beach, which at spring tides, is entirely
under water. The mountains surrounding this bay
have the appearance of rich mines. We took a view
of the remaining part of the bay, whilst others went
to view the coast ; and having found the whole of it
to be full of rocks, and sun being near setting, we
came to an anchor.
28th. We set sail w4th a land wind, but a squall
from between the mountains carried away one of our
masts, which in its fall hurt one seaman and was near
killing two others. We passed by some rugged emi-
nences, which project a considerable distance into
the sea. On weathering a white cape surrounded by
rocks, some above and others under water, we entered
a bay, not very spacious and shaped like a G. In the
part betwixt a huge rock and the land and the cape,
is good anchoring ground, and facing the rock a ves--
sel lies sheltered from the Southwest wind. At low
water indeed a great many rocks appear above the
sea. The other point would afford good shelter from
the North wind, were it not for the rocky bottom and
the very extraordinary fall of the ebb. About a
quarter of a league from an inlet is a pond, but the
water turbid and impalatable. We called the bay
[65]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
St. Peter and Paul, for our entering it on anniversary,
of those great apostles.
29tli. It being calm, we rowed out of the bay, and
when we had got round the white cape, opened another
bay running West and Southwest. It is of consider-
able extent, has several islands, and includes the
lesser bay of San Luis Gonzaga. On this side of it
the shore forms some elbows, but shallow and in one
of them we saw a kind of shell, which though of naker,
was very beautiful and resembled the shells of the
genuine white pearls. We did not take a view of it,
deferring it till we reached the other side, but the
weather did not favor us till our return, when on a
survey we found the bay to be capable of receiving
any number of ships. It is separated by a narrow
channel from another harbor; and both are secure
from all winds and seas. It has several creeks which
abound with fish, and this causes a great resort here
of the neighboring rancherias. But amongst these
advantages it wants the greatest, for the water in it
is too salty for use. Indeed six leagues up the coun-
try, it is perfectly good, but very scarce. To see if
such good harbors did not also afford fresh water, we
dug wells nine feet deep, but to no purpose.
After three days our extreme want of water, drove
us out of bay to search for it in another place. These
harbours are formed by an island of such a length
that the sea it appears to be main land. Beyond this
bay, in the white shore forming a crescent betwixt
two black mountains, called San Sebastian, we found
a river of brackish water, but be^^ond in the contiguous
[66]
Man of California at the same period
His Exploration from Loretto Up to Colorado River
serrania, the Indians informed us there was better
and many palm trees, which we found true, but made
little advantage of them. "We passed three other
capes, and in the evening came to little creek, where
the canoes lay safe from Southeast wind, but it is
full of sunken rocks. Here we found a balza, but
no traces of any people belonging to it.
30th. Before break of day came on, we saw a light
moving along the shore, from whence we inferred that
there was a watering place in the neighborhood. Ac-
cordingly some people were sent early in quest of it ;
and having found it, returned with an old man bring-
ing an earthen pitcher, which they are very ingenious
in making. It is a piece of industry unknown to the
northern Indians, and also to the Christians who lived
beyond them in the same direction, till they were
taught it by the inhabitants of the other side of the
bay. Having this intelligence of the water and a
good shore, at eleven o'clock we proceeded with the
wind at Southeast, but blowing fresh and opposite
the current, caused such a sea, as greatly retarded our
arrival at the intended port, though at no great dis-
tance. Here we found a great number of Indians,
from several rancherias, whose dialect could hardly
be understood. Their deportment had all the signs
of sullenness and ferocity, and one of them was mak-
ing ready his bow in order clandestinely to discharge
an arrow at me, but I prevented him by taking no
notice of his design, and changing my place. We
treated them with all possible courtesy, and besides
victuals, distributed among them several toys and
[67]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
trifles with which they were highly pleased and made
us returns in feathers with which they adorn their
heads. These they would have us accept of as token
of their good will, though this was no more than a
feint, for they sufficiently showed their quarrelsome
intentions by licking their arrows, which among them
is a kind of preparative sign for an engagement. We
now came down from an eminence we had ascended
to enjoy the freshness of the wind, the heat being un-
supportable near the shore, when the Indians again
challenged us by their leapings and shouts. A Chris-
tian boy of a sprightly disposition taking k rag in his
hand mocked the ridiculous gestures of the savages.
This sarcasm provoked them so, that they sent one
from among them whom we had best understood with
a formal challenge, but he added they were many in
number and had prepared an ambush. We readily
conceived that this information did not proceed from
ignorance, but was a studied finesse to intimidate us.
The answer was that we would very readily give them
satisfaction. The word was no sooner given, than six
soldiers and twent}^ Indian archers marched out. The
alacrity with which they ascended the eminence, to-
gether with the courage and agility of a Christian in
taking away and breaking the arrow of an Indian,
who was going to discharge it at him, struck such a
terror into the savages, that they immediately retired.
But one party came up with some, with whom the
soldiers and Christian Indians returned except two,
who had rashly continued the pursuit. I had no soon-
er seen their temerity, than I sent away the people
[68]
His Exploration from Loretto tip to Colorado River*
who had remained with me and the canoes. They
were soon out of sight and came to a place, where sev-
eral rancherias had joined together against us. and
our two men seeing the danger they had plunged them-
selves into, one of them called out, with a resolute
composure, as if he had a body of men behind him,
and pointing several ways with great eagerness said :
let some go on that side, others on this; hasten some
yonder, and form a circle that we may fall on these
savage mountaineers, before they can make their es-
cape. The Indians were drawn up in a line with
their weapons in their hands, but struck with what
they heard, did not proceed to any act of hostility.
Whilst they were in this suspense those two who had
been sent to assist our two desperadoes came in sight,
and the Indians concluding the imaginary assault was
now going to be made on them, betook themselves to
flight, leaving their wives, childred and necessaries.
All were taken care of with that punctuality and
tenderness which Christianity enjoins, particularly in
cases where the consequences may be very detrimental
or advantageous to its propagation. Several of the
men who were taken prisoners being infidels and un-
acquainted with the Christian customs, made an offer
of their wives and their necessaries for a ransom.
Night coming on, a guard was ordered to take care of
the prisoners whilst they slept. In this rancherias our
men saw a dog, which was the only one seen among
the Calif ornians before the missionary fathers came
among them.
July 1st. We released the prisoners, after advising
[69]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
them, that if any canoes came to their coast, they
should forbear all insults and hostilities. Two we
kept to show us the way to the watering place. It
was late before we got under way, having been obliged
to wait for a canoe, which had gone further up, though
the coast is very unsafe as being flat and rocky, yet
the squalls which fly all round the compass obliged
us to run the canoes ashore, having been informed
that further on there was still water. The distance
of the canoes from the watering place, hindered us
from taking in our full quantity, that might look
out for a safer station. Some went ashore to trace
the coast ; but hearing the shouts of a troop of gentiles
on the mountains, and fearing to be intercepted by
them, returned, signifying to them by gestures that
they would soon be with them. But the Indians re-
newing their shouts and pointing to the water, fled.
In this brook we saw some palm trees which had been
carried away by the floods. The marks for finding
this watering place of San Estanislao are reddish rock
near the serrania and along the coast some red walls
in the low part of the shore. Before coming to these
walls there is an easy road to the watering place,
where having continued till noon we went further,
but the wind blowing very hard, and a great surf con-
tinuall}' breaking in on the canoes, it was midnight
before we could reach the place we had in view.
2nd. We entered the bay of la Visitation, in one
extremity of which is good shelter though not very
large. We here again saw Indians, who upon seeing
us, behaved like the rest of their countrymen. But
[70]
His Exploratwn from Loretto Up to Colorado River
one belonging to San Estanislao showed us a watering
place, situated at a verj' convenient distance, so that
it was thought hetter to send a canoe back to San
Estanislao, to take in water, while one of them which
leaked very much was refitting. Here the bay which
begins at San Luis Gonzaga terminates. The neigh-
borhood of San Estanislao and la Visitation affords
great quantities of naker shells. In our return we
came here at midnight, and because of the many fires
which we saw, concluded the place to be well inhab-
ited, and consequently that there was water nearer
than that which the Indians had shown us. On this
we endeavored to speak with some of the natives, that
we might inquire about the water. Early in the
morning several families came down to us, but they
gave us the same account as the former. The women
here were totally naked, having not so much as the
slender covering used by the sex in the more southern
parts, as an indication of their modesty. Here the se-
ries of islands which lie within the bay terminates, cape
Visitation, bearing from the bay where we anchored,
almost due North. On this side of the cape, after
passing a low gravelly point of sand, is a small cove
proper for canoes. On the larboard side lie a great
many rocks, and most of them under water, on the
starboard side is a low cape. And betwixt these head
lands are two other coves or small harbours.
The 3rd. The canoe returned with the water; all
damages were repaired, and ever^-thing got ready for
sailing.
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, 8. J.
4th. Made sail with a land wind, which shifted to
the Southeast. Weathered cape la Visitation; the
shore low and level; the soil clayey and rocky. We
continued our course till the afternoon, when the wind
being contrary, we anchored near a bed of shells newly
thrown ashore. In the evening we were for removing
from our first anchoring place, the canoes beating
against the rocks, which were under water when we
entered the bay, but dry at low water. The three
canoes by the swiftness of the ebb were grounded, so
that we could not effect our design.
5th. We continued our voyage with oars, the wind
being contrary, and saw a great number of wild goats,
and Californian sheep. Several of our people went
ashore with a design of bringing off some of these
creatures, and meeting with a rancherias of Indians,
inquired for a watering place. They pointed to some
flats on the shore which were covered at high water,
and immediately made off. This water is so hot that
it emits a smoke and has a sulphurous smell. Those
who followed the goats took a view of the shore, and
found a deep well of brackish water, whither we came
about sunset. Some who walked up the country met
with two families, and one of the Indians immediately
asked if they were enemies, and on the Christians re-
plying that they were friends to them and all man-
kind, they accompanied them to the canoes, and these
were the last Indians with whom we conversed, and
even this was with great difficulty, on account of their
strange deviation from the Cochime idiom, of which
they retain only a few words. This place I am in-
[72]
His Exploration from Loretto Up to Colorado River
clined to think is the furthest limits of- the pearl beds,
having seen none beyond it.
6th. Fifteen men went ashore to view the country
and endeavor to find better water. We lay in a bay
on the south side, and east of us was a stony point
running a considerable distance into the sea. North-
ward is a sand bank projecting from a low point,
and seen at low water to run above a league into the
sea. One of our canoes struck on it, and as it has
several branches, we were sometimes obliged to return
a considerable distance. The low cape of this long
and wide bank with another of the rocks northward
of it forms a bay, but shallow and unsafe. Having
with difficulty got round the stony point, we had no-
ticed that the people would continue surveying the
country and return to this spot. We put ashore in
quest of watering place which is the brook just men-
tioned, and almost at the water's edge, the neighbor-
ing parts being in spring tides washed by the sea.
Here the canoes had the good fortune to fill all their
vessels. At the approach of the night our scouts re-
turned with intelligence that the country was barren
and uncultivated, adding, that some leagues further
there was good water, but little of it.
7th. A canoe being light and under no apprehen-
sion of the Indians remained here, but the others put
to sea. They were however soon obliged by a very
high sea to make for shore. The sea continued in the
same agitation the whole daj^ and night, so that no
provisions could be sent to those who were gone ashore.
8th. We steered to another part better landlocked
[73]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand KonscaU, 8. J.
and called San Fermin, lying betwixt two sand banks.
Three canoes got safely in; but the fourth run
aground, and lay till the flood. In the meantime the
loading of one was put ashore, she being so leaky that
the provisions were very much damaged. The water
here is good, but large vessels cannot without great
difficulty make use of watering places beyond la Visi-
tation. This part of the San Fermin has two very
long sand banks on the North and South that at low
water are dry for two leagues, as we saw at our return.
9th. It being flood we went out at three in the
afternoon, but in going over the bar all were obliged
to go forward. We next came to the bay of San
Phelipe de Jesus, the cape of which lies North and
South from one another. That of the North termi-
nates in some black mountains, but being unwilling
to lose the opportunity of a fair wind, we continued
our course, leaving the survey of it till our return,
and then found it to afford a shelter against the North
wind, even for large vessels; but it is at a great dis-
tance from the shore, which is so lined with sand
banks, that there is no landing but at high water. The
shore is sandy, and on the north side is a creek, which
at full and change of the moon has a depth of water
sufficient for boats, but at other times is dry. At the
foot of a flat eminence it affords plenty of water, but
thick, disagreeable, of an ill smell, and noxious in its
quality. Its effects on those who drink it resemble
the symptoms of the scurvy. At our return we stayed
some days near this watering place, but saw not a
single Indian, and our people being sickly and spent
[74]
His Exploration from Loretto Up to Colorado River
coming from the Rio Colorado, no excursion could be
made into the country. All along the low country
from la Visitation to this harbour are sheep and wild
goats. We went round the North point, which al-
though at full sea, it appears to have several small
inlets safe from South and Southeast winds, yet in
reality has only one little sheltering place running
southward, and this not proper for anything larger
than canoes. Indeed at spring tides, and with good
cables a larger vessel may put into it in case of a hard
gale at South and Southeast, but not at neaptides,
there being no depth of water nearer than a league
and a half from the shore. From this place at the
rising and setting of the sun, we saw the land on the
other side ; and from North point of San Phelipe we
had sight of another cape on this side, which appeared
to form a large bay, but it was no more than appear-
ance, there being no such bay; the point of the hill
lying within the mouth of the river Colorado up the
country. From this corner the shore is entirely level,
marshy in several parts at spring tides, and in hard
weather overflowed. All the way from San Phelipft
to the river Colorado there is neither bay nor water-
ing place.
10th. We made little progress this day, a strong
Northeast wind blowing from the shore which was con-
trary to us. The points in that part running North-
east and N. N. East form the strait closing here. At
noon we got ashore with great difficulty, the water be-
ing shallow and a great sea running along this coast,
which is extremely barren. The serrania or ridge of
[75]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscah, S. J.
mountains is three or four leagues distant from the
sea, and in some parts more. At night we came into
a better shore, though with a high sea. The bottom
here was found to be mixed with mud.
11th. Made but little way, and came to some red
marshes, whence we concluded we were near the mouth
of river Colorado or red river. We, however, con-
tinued our course till the evening, having endeavored
to land in several places, but to no purpose, the fens
not only hindered the boats from coming ashore, but
likewise would not bear those who endeavored to cross
them. Under this difficulty we came to an anchor
facing an island, which forms a creek at the end of
the trait in the form of a bow. The water even
here differs from that of the sea, being of such a
malignant quality as to carry off the skin whenever
it touches, and all were wet w4th it except myself,
and were accordingly afflicted with very painful in-
flammations in the most sensitive parts of the body,
and which continued till the end of the expedition. In
some the first symptoms only of scurvy appeared, but
in others it was arrived at such a height that during
the whole return they were unable to stir.
12th. Had a hard gale at South which separated
the canoes. One endeavored several times, but with-
out effect, to weather by taking the point of the fen,
at which the island mentioned j^esterday terminates.
This canoe was very near foundering, the sea run-
ning very high, another canoe was to throw the great-
est part of her lading overboard; but the other two,
though the lading and people were wet, had the good
[76]
His Exploration from Loretto Up to Colorado River
fortunes after weathering the cape to find a safe shore,
being now beyond the fens.
13th. The canoe which we had put ashore on the
other coast, after making away the greatest part of
the night, betwixt seven and eight in the morning
arrived at San Bonaventura, where the lading was
taken out and exposed to the air, and canoe grounded.
Some people from the others came in search of her,
but were hindered by a creek.
14th. Whilst the provisions, clothes and other
things were drj^ng, a party went to take a view of the
neighboring countr}', and found a great many prints
of men and beasts. Those at San Bonaventura used
all possible endeavors to find out a watering place,
but with no success, though they were a day and a
half about it. The smallest canoe came and joined
them in that pare, and brought intelligence that all
the people and canoes were safe in the same outlet
of the river Colorado. Some drinkable water was
found which issued from the river Colorado.
15th and 16th. The smaller canoe having assisted
the other in taking water, on the 17th, they re-
moved to the station where the other was.
18th. Went up the entrance of the river Colorado,
and within it lies the before mentioned island, which
is triangular, and divides its stream into two arms;
one in California running northward, and the other
of the opposite side running Northwest. The people
went ashore in the island, and found themselves be-
twixt two rapid currents. One of the river's ebb,
and the other in the sea was flowing in with no less
[77]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
impetuosity, that they had a very narrow escape,
but lost only some of their lading. The canoes re-
moved to the coast of California as more secure,
where in the night time they saw fires, but in the day
time not one of the Indians showed himself.
19th. Continued the discovery of the river, but
the currents here became so rapid, that the canoes
could not stem it with rowing, and they were obliged
to have recourse to towing by which they made a little
headway ; but as one canoe could not be towed for want
of ropes it altered its course and steered for the other
side which was one of three islands discovered by our
people on this occasion. On the 18th, they saw the
first, which divides the river into two parts; the sec-
ond, like the first lies in the river's bed, and faces
it at a little distance ; the third lies on the side of the
other two, the river dividing itself on the side of this
lateral island towards the other shore, forms an arm,
but so small that at a low water it is almost dry. This
side of California, lying low, is overflowed by Colo-
rado, that all along to the foot of the mountains one
sees pieces of trees, weeds and the like, left there by
its waters. Our people also saw here a kind of thresh-
ing floors, where the natives thresh a kind of seed
like wheat but as small as any seed.
20th. The canoes continued grounded, and the
flood was attended with such rapidity and at the same
time a very high sea, that the canoe which had parted
from the others, was in greatest danger, and the
smallest which was now coming in, immediately made
for it, in order to save the people, and it pleased God
[78]
His Exploration from Loretto Up to Colorado River
and his most holy Mother that it came in time for
that purpose, but the provisions and effects of all on
board were lost, and canoe was burnt to save ironwork.
21st. The canoes were sent to look out if anything
of the wreck had been thrown ashore, and on the con-
tinent they found two casks of water.
22nd. The canoe was hindered from going out by
the appearance of tempestuous weather. In the mean-
time the people took a view of the country, and at
the distance of five leagues saw Cauzal and Sauceda.
23rd and 24th. During these days, though we en-
deavored to go forward, the wind and the current
obliged us alwaj^s to put back to the place whence we
had come. This was an elbow near a great well run-
ning eastward. The canoes were not able to make
way. They, who had been sent on the survey reported
that the river took its course along the serrania on the
side of California.
25th. The survey of the gulf or sea of California
being carried to its utmost limit, we steered not di-
rectly to the harbour, from whence we had sailed, but
to take a view of some harbours, which, by reason of
circumstances, had been omitted in our coming. Fif<
teen men traveled some waj^ by land, took an exact
account of the situation and course of the creek at the
point of the fens, and it stands delineated in the map.
First let it be observed, that in this journey we
have taken no notice of the latitude, this being ex-
actly set down in the map of this survey.
Secondly, let the pearl divers be persuaded, that if
they do not come with a good number of people well
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Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
armed and be very circumspect, many will lose their
lives at the hands of the savages, for though after
being baptized, they become tractable, sincere and
benevolent yet whilst unconverted they are designing,
haughty and cruel, and more to strangers than to
those of their country with whom they are at variance.
Besides being furnished with men and arms, it is nec-
essary that they forbear exasperating the Indians
by any ill treatment, as robbery, bringing away their
children, abusing their wives, an injury of all others
the most provoking, by which, besides their nat-
ural barbarity, they are inflamed with an implacable
hatred against all strangers who set foot on their
shore. Those concerned in such understandings
should show themselves Christians, and be zealous foi
the honor of the Spanish nation, on which they have
brought an indelible stain by the most scandalous
cowardice, particularly the last year at San Raphael,
on an occasion which called for valor when the sav-
ages after treacherously murdering a diver, killed
another in the very sight of the owners, and they in-
stead of coming to his rescue, fled away with precipi-
tation. This inspirits them to make the like attempts
on others, and they will perpetrate them if it is their
good fortune always to meet with such cowards.
In order to prevent these damages, and open a way
to the temporal and spiritual reduction of the coun-
try, a design was formed some years since to take an
accurate survey of the gulf of California, in order to
find out convenient places for garrisons, harbours
and missions. This could not be effected till the pres-
[80]
His Exploration from Loretto Up to Colorado River
ent year, 1746, when Father Juan Antonio Balthasar,
visitor general of the missions, sent me the Father
provincial's order to take a survey of the gulf of
California, specifying the circumstances above men-
tioned, in order to lay before his majesty whom God
preserve, and his royal council, the opportunities
which these coasts afford for completing the conquest.
I received the orders with due obsequiousness, but
the execution was difficult, from the great scarcity
here of everything requisite for such an enterprise, the
very necessaries for the subsistence of missionaries be-
ing not acquired without great difficulty. The impor-
tance of the service, however, overcame every other
consideration. The missions having at heart this work
from their zeal for the service of God and his majesty,
contributed amidst all their straits, wherewith to
defray the charges of canoes, seamen, provisions and
every other thing necessary in a voyage to coasts un-
known, and inhabited only by savages. They likewise
added a considerable number of Christian Cochines
and furnished them with arms and clothing.
Captain don Barnardo Rodrigues de Rea, comman-
dant of the royal garrison of Loretto on this occasion
likewise showed his regard for religion, and his care
and activity in his majesty's service, exerting himself
to provide everything with the utmost dispatch, which
was within his department. He procured a good
canoe, appointed an escort of soldiers, which was neces-
sary for my safety, and of those who went with me.
And though his post as governor of the garrison
would not permit him to head the soldiers himself, he
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Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
attended us as far as San Carlos, the nearest harbour
to the frontiers, and the rendezvous of their canoes
and soldiers, and where he personally disposed every-
thing for the voyage and remained there till our de-
parture. Some days after an account came that the
Gentiles had killed all of us, soldiers, seamen and
Indians, not leaving one alive, and had broken the
canoes to pieces. It no sooner reached the captain's
ear than he prepared to go with a body of men in a
canoe to the shore to certify himself of the fact, and
to see the best remedy that could be applied, whilst
measures were taken better adapted for baffling the
opposition to the glory of Christ and the honor of his
majesty, which the devil carried on by those undei^
his influence. But the captain was persuaded not to
stir till he received a confirmation of this bad news,
which from the Indians' proneness to lying, and the
circumstances that the canoes would be resolutely de-
fended, were supposed, if not entirely, to be partly
false. And as it proved so the captain had no occa-
sion for putting his generous intentions into execu-
tion. God and his holy Mother, the patroness of these
missions grant that these services undertaken purely
for their glory, the salvation of souls, and the en-
largement of his majesty's dominions, may have the
desired issue, that we may see this end obtained ; and
with advantages which may enhance its glory and
happiness.
[82]
Beginning of the Diary of the Journey
Made by Father Fernando Consag
of the Society of Jesus in California
from 27 2-3 Degrees Towards the
North Between the Sierra Madre
Range of Mountains and the Ocean,
His Second Exploration in 1751.
THE REASON for having undertaken the jour-
ney through the territory that lies between the
ocean and the Sierra Madre that divides the whole
of California into Eastern and Western is that it is
broader and generally less barren than the other
which lies between the same Sierra Madre and its
Gulf or Bay called The Gulf or Bay of California.
The Provincial Father, Juan Antonio Baltazar, when
as Visitor General came to this Peninsula, already
appointed me for this journey. I could not make
this journey until now ; first, on account of epidemics,
second, on account of the lack of provisions and
third, on account of some other more pressing occu-
pations in which my Superiors kept me engaged.
Notwithstanding the fact that the Mission on the
Northern boundary belongs even to the present day
to that of Our Father St. Ignatius, and that from
[83]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscah, S. J.
here the train and all the necessary provision — to
which the two neighboring Missionaries contributed
in part with great charity — marched out, La Piedad
was fixed as the place in which everything was to be
prepared with despatch, especially the natives who
were to follow on foot provided with suitable pro-
visions. La Piedad is the spot already designated
for the founding of the last Mission to the North
and it is located in twenty eight and one-half degrees
latitude. From St. Ignatius in a proportionate dis-
tance towards the North there was not found any
better rivulet in the open accessible. By its situation
it happens to be almost the center of the towns and
settlements which are to be administered to. Its
current runs to the ocean. When, some years ago,
I saw and explored this place, it was much better
because then it had a spring of running water, but
as I looked for it now the natives told me that since
then it had been lost by a great flood together with
several portions of earth ; nevertheless some potable
water remains in wells, and also some common reed
grass for feeding saddle horses. The water is good
through a special providence of God, since the few
wells all around have their unpleasant after-taste,
either brackish or sour.
From this post of La Piedad, on the 22nd of May,
1751, under the patronage of Our Lady of Loretto,
to whose marvellous guardianship the conversion of
California is attributed, with five soldiers and a suffi-
cient number of natives on foot, the journey was
undertaken in the afternoon. For the well, being so
[84]
Beginning of the Diary of the Journey
distant that the outfit and the retinue could not
reach it in one day, in order that the lack of water
should be more tolerable, it was decided to do with-
out it during the night, on account of the nights
being still very cold at this time of the year. At sun-
set we arrived at a place called San Everardo which
already has a settlement, whose Indians are all bap-
tized and reduced to neighborhoods in which it is
possible to minister to them. We were short of water
and even the pasture for the mounts was scarce.
Some of the hills are of pure rocks and red marble,
others are of sand-stone which abrades spontane-
ously, filling up the brooks and shoals with a kind
of white sand. On the 23rd we continued our jour-
ney in the midst of fog and cold through rivulets and
sandy hills and soft earth mixed with its rock. No
big tree was seen, except the one the natives call
Milapa, and which is found from the twenty-eighth
degree on. Most of them are high and straight like
the pine trees. A tree really useless, sterile and
which shows that the land is unfruitful. From the
ground to the top it is surrounded by short branches
full of thorns ; it is very brittle, wherefore it is found
either broken off or completely thrown down by the
strong winds. All its hardness lies in the bark when
it is green, the interior is a kind of spongy dough
like turnips or nopal. Even though the most of the
trees of California when they are burnt exhale some
fragrance, this one when in the fire emits a stench
so disagreeable that it causes headaches. Perhaps
for this reason it remains undamaged while the
[85]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
natives burn any other big tree they find. The far-
ther we go North the more trees of this kind we see,
but only in the district between the Sierra Madre
and the Ocean, and between what the Northwest
wind and the fog sweep over. About a quarter of a
league before reaching the spring, we crossed over
some spots of tall grass which we used for the mounts
for want of good pasture.
Knowing that the water was in two little wells
some of the men went on ahead in order to draw it
out and to open a gap big enough. About noon we
reached Kalmaye, that is the name of the small
stream where the water is found and it belongs to
the settlement called Our Lady of the Visitation.
The most of these Indians are already baptized and
tamed. Some of the heathens who came to visit me
from that town and from others around greeted me
and said there was an old man so seriously sick that
his end was very near. I went right away on foot
to see him and to speak to him about his salvation,
but as I heard him say that he did not understand
me, I was very much grieved. That old man was
from another settlement farther towards the North,
which he left to come over to this one. I thought
that his not having understood me was due partly to
his restlessness caused by his sickness, and partly
by his fear on account of seeing himself surrounded
by people he had never seen before. I treated him
with my greatest kindness and gave him some
cooked meat which these old men like very much.
With this kind attention on my part he began to
[86]
Beginning of the Diary of the Journey
understand me. As he was very far from our camp,
I ordered that he be taken nearer. I continued
instructing him in the mysteries of our Holy Faith
and giving him some periods of rest. My doubts and
anxieties of mind ceased when the sick man himself
told me that he had already been told of all these
things but he never could believe them before but
now he believed them and wanted to be baptized.
He added that he had dreamed several times that I
had baptized him. As it was very late at night, I
baptized him privately without solemnity for fear
that he should die suddenly. Some Christians were
appointed to take care of him at his death. During
the rest periods given the old man, some little
children of heathen people, offered voluntarily by
their parents, were baptized.
Without there being any clouds we perceived
noises like thunder and asking the natives what
caused them, all of them answered us that they
were subterranean noises and that they came from a
mountain close by. They added that such thunders
were more frequent in summer. When we came back
I inspected the mountain but I did not find any
mouth or opening in it. The 21st day of the month
was very fine as far as the weather was concerned,
and we started out early in the morning. Before
noon we reached the territory belonging to the
Mission called Our Lady of the Betrothal of Pui
where some heathens from several settlements were
waiting for us. They told us that they did not be-
lieve that any priest could come through those
[87]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand KonUah, S. J.
difficult places, and as they had been informed that
some of the men of our suite were going to capture
some Indians and compel them to become Christians,
the people scattered out. Others more courageous
wanted to see whether the priest was coming or only
a portion of Spaniards lead by a chief. But as soon
as they saw the relay of horses which went ahead
because that land was not yet under irrigation, they
lost their courage and fled ; some of them to the hills
and others to the ocean, and these doubtless were
the cause of our not having found any settlements
in a long distance as they allowed themselves to be
influenced by these fugitives. To those who re-
mained we said enough to correct their misapprehen-
sions.
In almost the entire distance between the place
from which we went out and the other to which we
went, there is reasonably good pasture considering
the great sterility of the country. Here, too, it was
necessary to open a well in order that our mounts
might have to drink. A heathen asked me to baptize
his son, and as there were already some Christians
in the settlement, I did so.
On the 25th, the father of the new Christian even
though he was a heathen, wished to accompany me.
But as I did not know whether the people with whom
we might come in contact would prove to be friends
or enemies of this settlement of which he was the
chief, I did not allow him to accompany me; more-
over we had some persons in our party who knew
the way. It was necessary for us to cross a branch
[88]
Beginning of the Diary of the Journey
of the Sierra Madre range that extends towards the
ocean. On account of its roughness the district was
difficult to pass through. In the afternoon we
reached a flat, the head of a small stream where there
were some springs, one of which contained good fresh
water. The other spring had brackish water. Hav-
ing learned that the way down the mountain was
impassable, we sent some members of the party ahead
to fix the places that might endanger our train. At
the distance of a league (about four English miles)
they met a very few heathens. Having heard that
the priest was in the vicinity, two boys, one of them
bearing arms and the other not yet large enough to
bear arms, lead by curiosity, came to see me and to
greet me. They told me that there was a sick child,
that would surely die in a few days and that on that
account it had already been placed aside. It is the
custom of these barbarians, whenever one of their
number is given up to die, to isolate the patient in a
shelter somewhat distant from the others.
The youth having been kindly received remained
with us that night and very early in the morning he
at once set out to relate to his own people what he
had seen among the strangers who w^ere coming.
On the 26th in spite of the fact that on the previous
afternoon we had tried to improve the road to make
the passage easier we could not prevent the falling
of some of our mounts and the rolling down of some
of our equipment. The impassable stretch was so
long that it could not be sufficiently well fixed in
so short a time. The stream, which Avas open here
[89]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
and there, afforded us some beautiful views. The
springs are close together and its large mezquites
in patches, which is the only good wood we found in
all that we saw towards the North. Moreover in
many places they had been burned. This moved me
to exhort the heathen through the nearest Christians
to abstain from doing so. On one side of our road
we saw some Indians. I went with the leader of the
soldiers and some others to talk to them about the
sick child that had been given up, in order that
they would allow me to baptize it. Not only did
they agree to my proposition but they assured me
that they had remained for the purpose that I might
baptize it ; that all of their settlement had gone down
to the ocean and when I had crossed they had to
follow them. That little child after having been bap-
tized, as I learned, died the following day.
Continuing our journey, we reached a stream that
had its palms and reed grass. The water was in
small pools and where it begins to narrow with a
fall and rocky banks it runs over the TEPETATE
(ATTLE). A short while after our arrival the
heathens came to salute me. One of them offered
to guide us to Kanayiakaman that we wished to see.
In this vicinity begin the varieties of AGAVE, some
of them being yevy large, which appear to be like
those of the other shore, others were medium with
very thick heart and leaves. These take the place
of water with the Indians when they get away from
the streams. They cut off the leaves, heat them and
press out or suck the juice. I tried it and found it
[90]
Beginning of the Diary of the Journey
was not bad. The third variety is small and prized
because it serves as their daily bread.
On the 27th day we remained in the same place,
partly in order that our mounts, which had suffered
a great deal on the preceding day's marches, might
recuperate and partly because the pedestrians, on
seeing so much large agave, wished to gather it for
food, but they were deceived and their labor lost
because the large variety is very bitter and not good
to eat. But its flower, that it sends upon its stem,
when toasted, on account of the little sweet it con-
tains, is tolerable to the taste. Later they abhorred
it because it made them sick. The heathens who
spent the night with us left and at noon others came.
From them we learned of the false reports spread
by two women; the first hearing the cries uttered
by the Christians who were hunting deer, informed
her settlement that the Kaiavangua, who are their
enemies, had fallen upon us unexpectedly, killing and
robbing many of us; the other who was returning
from the mountain with agave or other wild seeds,
w^as led by the same noise of the chase to believe
that the Christians perhaps in retaliation for
the wrongs they had suffered at the hands
of the Kiavangua had killed the members of
their owm tribe who had come to see us. This fan-
tastic imagination caused all of them to flee. The
heathen who offered to serve as our guide, returning
at sunset for provisions, on reaching the camp found
it deserted. He followed the trail, found some who
had climbed a steep peak and he could scarcely
[91]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscah, S. J.
persuade them that there had been no enemy to
molest us, that neither he nor his companions had
seen the slightest sign of hostility, and that his chief
with some others would pass the night with the
Christians. But the report had spread to the South
and to the North. In the afternoon I went up on a
peak to look at the ocean, and to note the variation
of the needle of the compass. The continuous fog
made it very hard for us to register the reading of
the compass and another higher mountain towards
the Northwest prevented an exact observation. But
by the little that was lacking and by what I had
formerly observed I was able to conjecture that the
needle was pointing about four degrees to the North-
east. I also noted that we had retired almost one-
fourth degree from the North.
On the 28th in order not to lose more latitude and
in order not to endanger the mounts by trusting the
information given by those who knew the country,
it was decided that some skillful person should seek
out the least difficult pass. For these natives reared
among the crags and trained to leap from ledge to
ledge, there was nothing inaccessible. Don Fernando
de Rivera y Moncada, then an officer of the expedi-
tion, and who at this time is the very worthy com-
mandant of California, with another soldier and
some pedestrians went to examine the ground in one
vicinity. At night-fall he returned with his retinue
and the report was unanimous that we could not
pass in that direction without ruining our train and
rendering ourselves incapable of continuing our
[92]
Beginning of the Diary of the Journey
journey. One mule either on account of the many-
falls he got or on account of the poor quality of the
grass, died. Doubtless the false and groundless re-
port that had gotten out, caused a great deal of mis-
giving and lack of confidence, for all of the natives
instead of returning as they had promised, withdrew
and we even found a spy, who when discovered, fled.
Although these Indians when first aroused are fear-
less, they are very faint-hearted when this first im-
pulse of their barbarous nature is passed.
The 29th was foggy and colder than the preceding
days. Some members of our party were sent out to
look for the heathens in order to find out from them
whether, in some other place besides the one they
had indicated to us and that we found impracticable,
there were an outlet or pass. In the event that they
could not get the desired information from those
barbarians, others of our party were sent out to see
where we could get out of the difficulties of that
rough sierra in which we found ourselves hemmed
in, even if it would become necessary to go back
over a different way from the one we had come.
Both plans succeeded. A family of heathens was
brought who said they had come to look for us and
told us that their people had gone away in order
to bring us some presents from their families. We
also found a means of making easier our exit from
that trying and difficult sierra.
On the 30th we went out in a Southwesterly direc-
tion, going down the plains of the ocean. They are
called by this name not because they really are
[93]
Life and ^Vorks of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscah, S. J.
such, excepting some slopes of sand and loose earth,
but in comparison with the rough and broken moun-
tainous country joining them. On account of the
fog of the ocean having diminished, we discovered a
tongue of sand which stretches out towards the sea
three or four leagues, but very narrow in compari-
son with its length. Some of the heathens we had
seen came out on the road with others and offered
me portions of their grain and followed us. Others
after having halted, led by their captains, likewise
gave us two small portions and others gave us dates,
which is the fruit that in autumn and until mid-
winter abounds in the vicinity of the ocean. "We
gave them in turn some food that they were very
fond of. The chief offered to accompany us with his
men, but knowing that they were bitter enemies of
those of the settlement where I wished to pass, I did
not accept his services. I lacked a knowledge of the
language, for in addition to the accent and intona-
tion, those Indians change some of the words. I
made use of some of their neighbors I had recently
baptized, having told them that it was my intention
to journey on farther until we should reach some
place where it would be impossible for my suite to
continue and that I considered that on account of
their having to return alone and through enemy
country, they might run the risk of losing their
lives. It seemed that they were perfectly satisfied
with this.
On the 31st we finally reached this place, which
is the mouth of the stream called Kanayiakaman,
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Beginning of the Diary of the Journey
and penetrated its interior. Since we could not do
so on the bank as we had tried, we executed it
through the mouth itself. But on account of the
falls over rocks and perpendicular banks, we found
this equally impenetrable.
This stream is very celebrated among those natives.
For this reason we sent some men on foot to explore
its interior in order to get some information about
it to see whether it was in keeping with the reputa-
tion it bore. The heathens offered to serve as guides.
This mouth is situated in twenty-eight degrees and
forty minutes latitude. Its narrowness which leads
into the ocean, falls to the South. Its water is very
brackish among rocks, as its basin is somewhat deep
with an abundance of large mezquites has on its
side some bottoms covered with useless underbrush.
At sunset some who had been sent to explore the stream
returned declaring that when they had gotten half
way, many fell ill and remained near a palm tree
grove where there was some running water, and
that the others with the guides continued their
journey upwards, and that in the whole district
they had seen no more than evidences of human
beings. The news about the sick was very painful,
for on this same day man^^ had been seized by cramps
and running off of bowels, which is a disease that
in the majority of cases is fatal.
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VI
Continuation of the Diary of
Father Fernando Consag
THE cold weather having abated somewhat on the
first day of June, some of our men went out to
see the road that we would have to travel and to find
out whether at a proper distance there would be some
pasture, a thing that was scarce in these parts. We
did this in order that we would be able to advance as
soon as our men returned from the stream, for we
had heard from the heathens that the settlement we
wished to go to was rather distant. They came back
so late with this information that we could not go out.
At noon, those whom we had been waiting for, arrived
with exact information about the stream, which ac-
cording to their declaration, with a thousand wind-
ings always led to the North for a distance of twenty
leagues, and thus we found it to be when we finally
were able to penetrate it. The natives who were serv-
ing as guides, when we passed a certain point of the
stream, did not wish to proceed, giving us an excuse
that none of those who went farther ever escaped with
their lives on account of the barbarity of their neigh-
bors. Nevertheless some of the more courageous ones
reached the end which is very narrow, dry, pure rock
and terminates in a declivity or cragg, whence they
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Continuation of Diary of Father Ferdinand Consag
returned at nightfall to join those they had left be-
hind, only to learn from them that the guides had
already returned by a shorter road to our camp. We
did not see them again. With the additional informa-
tion they gave us about this stream, the desire to ex-
plore it personally was aroused no matter what it
might cost. We reserved this task for our return, in
order to see whether during this time they would vary
in their description. This is a stream that people
have tried various times to penetrate on foot, and
never had been able to accomplish until now.
We spent the 2nd day of June crossing another
arm of the Sierra. It was a dangerous and long jour-
ney. One horse rolled down an embankment and was
killed. Near the noon hour we went down to the
stream of the heathens who were considered dan-
gerous. The water is salty and some of the springs
are crystallized with salt. On account of our not
knowing any path, and on account of the meagerness
of information we found it difficulty to select a road.
We finally followed a small stream, the water of which
looks like liquid salt. In its extremity there is a
great quantity of white marble transparent like
onyx. We proceeded in search of another stream,
but we found ourselves very high in the Sierra already
and the passage so beset with craggs that it was neces-
sary to retreat.
Meanwhile the Indians of that vicinity cried out
to us threatening us, saying that none of us would
be permitted to escape. To the threats they added
another cry, illy understood, which obliged everybody
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to arm himself, but this equivocation having soon
vanished and our men having been well arranged so
that we would not be caught in some narrow place,
we continued our march that we had begun at six in
the morning, until four o 'clock in the afternoon. We
stopped on an extensive plain, and while the beasts of
burden were being unpacked, one of our squadrons
that protected the pack train and at the same time
advanced to see whether they could find some springs,
discovered it. When the discovery was announced
the people began providing themselves with water.
When it was already late three heathens arrived, whose
company I had refused. They gave us information
about the road and water. But our own men had
already found both of these things. We spent the
entire night without being molested.
On the 3rd, the Camp having been pitched near the
water, Don Fernando Rivera set out with some Indi-
ans of our train in search of the savages of these parts
in order to get some information about the land that
stretches to the North. The three who had come to us
also lacked knowledge about the territory beyond.
The roughness was terrible to the sight and it seemed
that the Sierra towards the ocean, in the northwesterly
direction, was higher than that we had already dis-
posed of, on which account it was necessary to pro-
cure either information about the way or some guide
in order to proceed. About 5 :00 P. M., Don Fernan-
do returned with his squad, and brought an old man
and an old woman. Although we had seen and spoken
to many of the natives, we could not succeed in our
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Continuation of Diary of Father Ferdinand Consag
undertaking because they excused themselves, saying
that they were persecuted by their neighbors on both
sides, north and south, because they were very coward-
ly and lived in perpetual mistrust. Seeing that some
of our retinue were going towards them, they fled, as
a sequel to their threats of the day before. Our men
pursuing overtook a man, old but still strong and
armed. He himself pointed out the thicket in which
his wife was hidden. In our tent they were regaled
and the old woman was dispatched with a small pres-
ent in order that she would go to call the people of
her settlement, but she did not return.
On the fourth day of the month, the commander ot
the expedition' with a soldier skilled in husbandry ac-
companied me in the exploration of the stream. We
found running water in small quantities in two parts
and we found that it would be easy to get it out and
lead it over the land for irrigation purposes. The
water is somewhat salty, and is surrounded by cor-
nered or angular tule. There is more land than water.
It is the best stream we have seen since we left the
frontier. It is situated in 29 degrees and 15 minutes.
It is called Ajavaimin. On the southern side it slopes
down to the place where the water is, over some gentle
and not very high hills. The fogs, at least at this
time of the year, are dense. On account of this fog
and of the continuous winds that blow from the ocean,
the nights and mornings are very cold. One of our
squadrons on foot also made an excursion with an old
heathen in order to tame and to call those who were
excited or frightened. But their labor and diligence
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did not succeed. The three heathens who were follow-
ing us went out with our men to search for foods of
the forest and disappeared.
On the 5th, having journeyed for one hour towards
the Northwest, we came upon a draw full of reed grass
and running water. The stream was very wide and
open on both sides, a thing that is very rare in Cali-
fornia. But the soil is very brackish. In this soil,
on account of the moisture, there grows a species of
grama (dog's grass), which is not found outside of
moist and brackish sluices, but it is good pasture for
the mounts. In this sluice there is a variety of water ;
in some pools it is quite brackish and in others it is
good, but the best water to drink is that obtained from
dug wells, that cost very little labor to make here,
because the earth here is sandy and the water near the
surface. It was the opinion of the intelligent mem-
bers of our train that a mission might be established
here, making use of the two camping places, the one
mentioned the previous day for crops and the present
one for the head or seat of the mission on account of
the water being better and because there was more
pasture for the work horses. Even though the run-
ning water was considered useless, the moisture which
it furnished would make it possible to raise some
crops. It is situated in 29 degrees and a little more
than a half, and it is called Angum. There were
found in two different places, two old women with-
out protection, who had come for water. About noon
a report was heard from the mountain peaks that our
men had fallen into some ambuscade or had been un-
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Continuation of Diary of Father Ferdinand Consag
expectedly surrounded by the barbarians. Two sol-
diers went to help them. But at the distance of about
a league they saw that it had been a false apprehen-
sion on the part of the one who gave the report, after
having seen two, at a high rate of speed, running
down the mountain.
On the 6th, having received the notice that there
was another good watering place, we went up the
ravine towards the East, and having traveled about
two leagues we turned southeast toward the Sierra.
But noting its difficulty and finding, about noon, a
water hole among rock, it was considered well to halt
in order not to wear out our mounts. In order to
find out about the water and the condition of the rest
of the road, the commander of the expedition and a
soldier with some of our men on foot together with a
guide, made an expedition. At sunset they returned
with the information that the water was good to drink,
that there was little of it and that it was not running
water; that there was nothing else of value and that
the whole road was very bad.
On the 7th, we went back over the same ground that
we had covered the day before until we reached the
camping place from which we had gone out, in order
that the horses, that had had a very hard time of it
among the rocks without pasture, might recuperate.
The Sierra is bare of everything that might be of use
and is covered only with useless underbrush. The
footmen asked for a provision of their forest foods,
(comidas silvestres) For this purpose we decided to
remain two days during which time we explored the
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surrounding country. In the afternoon the heathen
who had served as guide tried to make his escape,
but he was detained in time.
On the 8th, the majority of our people went to the
ocean to provide themselves with (marisma) fruits
of the sea, since the mountain denied them their cus-
tomary food that they expected to find there in abun-
dance. Neither on the beach did they find the succor
that they sought, either because they did not know
how, or because this stretch of the sea is not fecund.
Here they found the little body of a child that the
animals had torn to pieces. At a short distance from
there they found two little girls, three or four years
old, concealed in a hole. They brought them to the
camp in their arms. They were immediately given
food, of which they were very much in need, and we
deliberated over the means it would be necessary to
employ in order that those two little souls might not
perish. God. furnished an old woman, the wife of
the man who served as a guide. This woman we had
dismissed days before. She perhaps supposed, either
that we had gone back or that she could get to the
water without being seen by any of our men. She
was caught and put in charge of the children. Her
husband marked for her the place where they were
to wait for him. And very much pleased with the
good reception we had given to her people, she offered
to guide us to the settlement that followed, even
though the thought of doing this had been repugnant
to her before. In this night the moon was one-third
eclipsed.
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Coniinuation of Diary of Father Ferdinand Consag
On the 9th, before daylight, after a subterranean
thunder or noise there was an earthquake. Fright-
ened doubtless, seven mounts fled that we did not miss
until we were ready to depart. In looking for them
and bringing them in, it became late and it was
necessary for us to postpone our day's march.
On the 10th, we passed by two short water holes,
both of them brackish and surrounded by grama
(grass). The first had a greater abundance of water
and a small patch of reed grass. We could see that
the heathens had cut reed grass for arrows, and in
order that we might know what they were destined
for they put on our road or path the sign of hostility,
which is unusually an arm of Pitajayalza, (kind of
cactus), either sweet or bitter, or canary spurge that
they transfix with sticks or shoot through with ar-
rows, leaving fixed in them the arrows, but broken, in
order to indicate that they would, do the same thing
to those who would dare to approach their settlement.
With this warning we expected them to receive us
with the cries and threats that they were wont to make
use of. But we arrived without hearing the hostile
and barbarous reception that we had feared. At sight
of the little water that runs in various parts we
halted.
We found this water so salty that even the mounts
could not drink it. We were not able to reach another
watering place up this draw, on account of bad places
in the road that were later fixed. Some of our foot-
men, going down into the ravine, found some water
that was brackish but that was fit to drink. We
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Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
provided ourselves with this without seeing a single
one of those natives. We saw nothing but the trail of a
few who were going towards the beach, according to
the one who served as our guide. This is a place
where as many as twelve settlements are wont to con-
gregate. But there was not much to be feared for their
free way of living would not suffer this union to take
place for a long time nor would it endure this familiar
and friendly bond.
On the 11th we approached the water that had been
discovered the day before, and there one can drink
only in case of extreme necessity unless it be people
already accustomed to such a drink. The water of
the main ravine, that we call Zienga, for a long dis-
tance in various parts runs among angular tule, thin
reeds and grama grass that springs up where there h
brackish humidity. It looks better from a distance
than when it is examined more closely. There is an
abundance of large mosquitos there. The name of
this place is Kadazyiac. It is situated in 29 degrees
and 47 minutes. Our guide took his leave as he said
he did not know the country that lay beyond, and
even what we had gone over he confessed to having
seen but once. Many among the footmen became ill.
Others showed that they were very tired with the
work they had to do, and especially because the coun-
try we passed through did not furnish them the sus-
tenance that they were accustomed to. Nevertheless
two squadrons were made up out of their number,
one of which was to explore all ravines above as far
as the time they had would permit them to go, the
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Continuation of Diary of Father Ferdinand Consag
other was to look for traces of human beings until
they either found them or until they discovered a land
towards which we could cross. In the afternoon one
of them gave his account of having met with traces
of human beings who divided into three divisions, had
camped, and who, on account of their great number,
had occupied a large space of ground. Nevertheless,
we proceeded until we saw that the Indians had sepa-
rated, some of them withdrawing towards the Sierra
of the North in which we had seen smoke. But we
could not approach because it was already late and
the smoke was rather distant. The other squadron
affirmed that there was no more pasture nor water
in the ravine that runs upward excepting what was
in sight.
On the 12th the commander of the expedition, with
the notice that there were many people, according
to the evidences of the trail, in company with a soldier
and some of our footmen went straight to the place
where on the day before we had seen the smoke. He
came upon the settlement, but he found only women,
children and old men. Even though they fled as soon
as they saw our men, they were caught. We made
it a point to appease them and to relieve them of their
fear. They had left everything intact, even the arms
of the men, without which they had gone to the beach
in order to show that the people who arrived at the
settlement were not hostile or enemy people. A mes-
sage was left there for them too, but they did not
understand it. Already at a late hour of the night,
the commander returned with his party, bringing
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back with him a man who was robust but whose eyes
were somewhat affected. We made it a point to re-
gale our host. But with all this, partly because of
the fear at seeing himself among people he had never
seen before and partly because of the diversity of the
language, we could not get any information from him.
On the 13th, in order to make the day's march easy
for the sick, we decided to set out very late. Nearly
the entire road was a succession of slopes.
On the 14th we reached the place inspected before
and we stopped on a slope in front of the settlement.
There are on its declivities some small dug wells of
brackish water and at the foot the large ravine. On
the other side there are some other small wells in which
there is more and better water. To this the mounts
were taken and the majority of our men too, provided
themselves with this water. The natives had aban-
doned their settlement and scattering over places that
were rough and broken, they very timely carried away
or concealed their household utensils together with
the idols that they are wont to keep in a house or
bower apart from the town, so that the settlement
looked as if deserted. These miserable and unfortu-
nate barbarians make their idols out of any kind of
grass reinforced with sticks. In their faces (I had
better say) in the place of the one they ought to have,
you see a kind of a cap that they make of black feath-
ers woven into the knots of a hair net in the manner
of a wig and it is among their most ingenious pieces
of work. The ears of some of them are of wood ; for
shoulders they put a little board on each side, about
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Continuation of Diary of Father Ferdinand Consag
six inches long, thin and painted. Moreover, we mar-
veled at seeing the Holy Cross there. A plumage
made of various feathers serves them as a crown.
From the neck over the chest there hang many strings
of small shells, of snails, little nuts and various colored
feathers, that the greater part of the adornment con-
sists of, and that in their blind and barbarous opinion
constitutes all the wealth. Some of them have a piece
almost a half yard long and about a quarter or one-
third wide of a course texture of Agave and crudely
variegated Avith earthen paints. Some skeins of hair
knotted and braided above, hang like a cloak or mantle
of state from the madly false divinity. All this finery
they are wont to keep in little baskets of rushes not
woven but tied at certain distances in such a way that
when they open them the shole stretches out like a
mat. In some settlements every married man has his
own adornment for his idol ; in other settlements only
some of the men have it, but the chief or captain al-
ways has it. When many villages unite in order to
celebrate some feast, each one comes with the little
basket of his idol. In front of each one they nail his
wide or narrow, long or short board, according to the
wood they had. Those living near the ocean have
the widest boards because they make use of some pines
that grow near the beach. These boards are highly
prized by the barbarians because they cost a great deal
of time and more labor than it is easy to imagine,
when we consider that without any other implements
than sharpened stones or flints they have to rough-
hew split the trunk, hew it out and polish it until it
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Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
gets as thin as a board. All this paraphernalia they
turn over to the priest when they are baptized. Some
of our men explored all the surroundings in which
the heathens had been, but they did not find but two
or three whom, however much they pursued, they
could not catch. When we received this information
we dispatched the member of this settlement we had
caught in order that he might tell them what sort of
treatment had been accorded him. With our kind
treatment we had already relieved him of his fear.
He began to understand those with whom he had asso-
ciated most and he was understood in greater part.
He gave some information about the country and
about the *Noa de China, that used to pass there some
years. He assured us that the chief of the settlement
would come, and that he would show us some sign
of hostility. The sick grew worse and others fell sick.
With this painful notice we lost hope of continuing
our journey. In the afternoon we sent some men to
the ocean to explore the beach and the surrounding
country. They found it rich in shell fish and all of
them supplied themselves abundantly with shells.
On the 15th, on account of the sick already being
numerous and some of them being so gravely ill that
they could not be sent ahead considering the road
over which we were to pass was very dangerous and
since much less could we leave them until we returned,
we decided to retire. In order that all of them might
supply themselves with shell fish, the majority of our
* Nao is the name of a sailing vessel that made yearly trips to
America, bringing products from the Far East.
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Continuation of Diary of Father Ferdinand Consag
people were sent to the beach. Between 10 and 11
o'clock, a heathen approached running with his bow
painted white and black, with his arrows in one hand
and two missiles in the other; his face painted with
red lead ; on his head he wore a feather crest and on
his chest were drops of blood, a sign of valor and
magnanimity. One of our men went out to meet him.
He received the missiles and led the Indian into my
presence. Then he gave up his arms and his plumage,
declaring that he came as a friend and that he had
gotten very angry at his own people because they had
not given him the message that our people had left
when they were in his settlement, and that he had
just learned it from his father-in-law, who was the
Indian we had detained and who on the preceding
day had been sent to his own people. This Indian
invited us to his village to give us presents. We would
have gladly accepted the invitation, because it would
have made it possible for us to continue our journey,
by furnishing us some information and guides. With-
out letting him know that the sick detained us, we
answered him that they could come in all security,
reminding him that their experience proved that our
treatment of them was not that of an enemy people.
We responded to his gift with another bow and ar-
rows ; according to the custom of the country this is
a sign of friendly peace. After having received it,
in order to show us his appreciation of the gift, he
pressed it against his lips, but instead of kissing it,
as kissing is an art not known in California, he gave
a little suck like person inhaling the perfume of a
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flower or taking some powder ; and understanding that
we did not wish to leave this halting place he asked
whether we would permit him to come with his people
painted with red lead. To which we replied that if
they came with their women and their children they
would be well received. The reason for adding the
last condition was that in case, with cunning deceit,
they should attempt to do us harm, they would ab-
stain from doing so in order not to suffer reprisal on
their families. And in order to be prepared in case
they should come we shortly sent two active men to
our people, nearly all of whom had gone to the beach,
asking them to return. I had made up my mind to
go and explore the place but I had to give it up.
During the afternoon we did not see a single heathen,
excepting an old man who was hidden in a thorny
thicket, so dense that we had to cut a way to get him
out, and we were surprised how he, being blind, could
have gotten into that rustic barbarous hiding place.
On the 16th, about half way between morning and
noon, a heathen all blacked and powdered with iron
pyrites arrived. He was carrying a bag in the form
of a very large ball, and this is a kind of bag in which
they keep their seeds and bury them. A bundle of
twisted Agave was tied around it in the manner of
a sash ; from the head there hung a bunch of rope, and
even though he carried his bow instead of an arrow he
had a reed with which he made a thousand gestures,
and with his body he went through some barbarously
ridiculous poses, until, conducted, he arrived in my
presence, where he immediately put down all that he
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Continuation of Diary of Father Ferdinand Consag
was carrying with him, saying that with the report
of our arrival all the people were frightened and
scattered. Moreover, even though his own people
tried to dissuade him from doing so, he came to give
himself up voluntarily and that if we freed him he
would come to live with his family in this neighbor-
hood which was his native place. He received the
reply that not only he, but all of the others could
live without fear in their lands and rest assured that
we would not take them from them.
According to the custom of that country we gave
him a gift in turn. Scarcely had this one gone, when
on the slopes we saw considerable people, who ran
from one hill to another and came at full speed in
various groups of four and six, with missiles, borads,
feathers and their arms which we exchanged for them.
They were the first of the settlement whose lands we
had crossed without seeing the inhabitants, because
as many as possible of them had congregated here,
either to hinder our passage or to take refuge. On
seeing that we did not show any fear they did not
dare to execute the hostilities they had so clearly
premeditated for as we have already seen they placed
where we would see it, a certain sign of hostility equal
to a declaration of war. Also, they could not with-
draw farther from their own lands without manifest
danger. This likewise obliged them to come and show
themselves friendly. The chief of this settlement as
a leader, came and went with them. At noon I had him
stop with the men and gave him his dinner in order
to repay him for the repeated invitations he gave
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us. On this occasion we learned that in three days
marches we would not come upon any water excepting
in dug wells and that there was no pasture. That
farther on there was a very large settlement, and that
in the North the people went dressed like ourselves.
In reality one of those Indians had given us a piece
of cotton cloth, of a very coarse thread and weave,
which could not have come from the Christians of
California, and they would have confessed it as they
affirmed that the knives called velduques came from
the South through exchanging or trading. Among
the feathers they gave us there were two strong ones
that came from birds that are not known in the known
part of California. Some of them were very red and
others white, almost like those of an ostrich. The
birds bearing the red feathers, they told us, live not
far to the North, but the white ones were brought
from the islands of that region. It is possible that
they referred to those of the Canal of Santa Barbara,
which according to the writings of some are inhabited.
The above information agreed with that given both
by the one who had been captured and by another of
the same settlement. It grieved us very much not to
be able to take advantage of such a good opportunity
to go up North. We were kept from doing so on ac-
count of the sick, the number of whom increased each
day, and some of whom in fact, grew so very ill that
we feared for their lives.
On the 17th our men returned in order to make
further provision of shell-fish, that this beach was
found to abound with. There are there also some
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Continuation of Diary of Father- Ferdinand Consag
sea-otters, which others, on account of the softness
of their fur, call sea-beavers. They are found only
in the ocean. You begin to meet with them in a large
hay that is seen in front of the Island of Cerros or
that of the Holy Trinity. We might infer that, since
they are found along the entire stretch up to the pres-
ent beach, they are to be found farther on too, es-
pecially if there are reefs or small islands, that or-
dinarily serve as their abiding place. The place in
which we have our tent is two leagues from this beach
and it is called Kalvalaga. It is almost in 30 degrees
Southwest. One can see a high island, not very large,
that seems to be the one that the navigators call
Filipinas de Guadalupe. From here I could not try
to know it or to mark its boundaries because of the
necessity in which I found myself of not absenting
myself on account of some need arising either with
regard to the heathens or with our own sick. But
on our return I saw it from a peak and I noted that
it lay towards the Northwest. If it is the one they
call Guadalupe it is not as far from land as it is in-
dicated to be on a map that was followed in the demar-
cation of the contracoast or coast of the ocean, when
that of California was made. If in addition to that
there is not another at the same altitude like it, it is
doubtless the one called Guadalupe, because the in-
habitants of that place speak of the workings of the
ship that they saw in these waters. The sea-charts
of the three islands are agreed that the vessel is wont
to, or ought always make note of one of them after
making observations and crossing the Cabo Mendozino.
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One of them is that Guadalupe which is in the middle,
between that of Cenizas and that of the Holy Trinity
or of C err OS. As there are frequent and dense fogs
here, it is possible that when the island was demarked,
the land of the Californians had not yet been seen,
or that it seemed more distant. We heard no more
about the heathens and in the afternoon we took up
our return journey over the same road over which
we had come.
On the 18th we arrived at Cienega, and on the 19th
and 20th, we journeyed without anything taking place
that was worthy of mention. On the 21st we dis-
patched a good portion of men in order that they, in
the mouth of the stream, the exploration of which
was reserved for our return, might open or level off
the bad passes. On the 22nd some of the men who
had gone ahead on the previous day returned with
the information that our intended making of a road
through the mouth was impossible. They assured us
that only with a larger number of men and the great-
er part of the year that could be accomplished. More-
over they assured us that towards the North means
had been discovered, that by opening a path in the
more difficult parts and improving it in others one
could pass. With this information the heads of the
expedition went to see it and to direct the men in their
work. We found some friendly heathens from various
settlements, and among them the report that circulated
about us, one of the Kamaipa or Kaiavangua had con-
ceived it, and it was about a battle lasting a day and
a half that they had had with us ; that we had defend-
[114]
Continuation of Diary of Father Ferdinand Consag
ed ourselves with great valor but that succeeding in
killing the priest they easily succeeded in routing
the rest of the people. And in order that nothing
might be wanting from their fantastic and barbarous
deed they added that they had also made an end of
all the mounts. The valorous champion who invented
and sang the victory that was so much to his liking
must not have seen nor known anything about the
soldiers, nor perceived the noisy report of the musket
which is enough to put to flight these timid and cow-
ardly barbarians. The heathens who had already seen
us were easily undeceived. This story that the In-
dians with whom we met had believed entirely, was
the occasion for continual conversations and an
abundance of questions they asked us.
[115]
VII
Conclusion of the Diary of
Father Fernando Consag
ON THE 23rd, as the country in which we were,
was that of heathens already tamed and
friendly, we sent to San Ignacio, Mission Frontier,
twenty sick from the number of those who wanted
to return, and others who were to help them and to
care for them. With the directions given us by the
commander and with the guide he sent, we succeeded
in penetrating the stream on the North side and we
arrived at night-fall. After night had fallen, two
heathens without arms arrived and remained with us.
The 24th was employed in opening a path in order
that the mounts might pass. The roughness of this
stream is very marked on account of its being very
deep ; in order to avoid some precipices it is neces-
sary to go up ; what we saw was not in keeping with
its fame or reputation, nor with the labor it cost us
to see it. The heathens who had come after night-
fall remained with us all day and they gave us the
message that if we did not wish to ascend the stream
to where their settlement was, all of their people
would come to see me. Both of them wore a flower
in each ear. The difference between these people
and those of the South is that those of the South
[116]
Conclusion of the Diary of Father Ferclinand Consag
stake their beauty and their vanity on having the
holes of their ears very large, so much so that some-
times they burst and break on account of v^dshing to
make them too large. This hole serves them a
pocket into which they place and keep the lizards
they hunt, or they place a hollow stick or thick reed-
grass in which they keep the tendons they use to
secure their arrow points which are of flint. In
proportion as one goes North, the size of the holes
in the ears diminishes, and here they serve merely
for holding some arrow point, or the flowers they
make out of various colored feathers in the form of
beautiful and delightful pinks.
On the 25th we penetrated a large part of the
stream; in a half day's march we reached the palm-
tree grove; even on the slopes and on the other
peaks there are some. The water is good now and
now bad, and in some parts it flows, but in the sand
places it sinks away. It also has its patches of reed-
grass. A division of their settlement came with
their families to see me ; they were all regaled.
On the 26th we reached the last habitable part of
the stream. They waited for us here, or more accur-
ately speaking, the various divisions of this settle-
ment as well as others of various other settlements
in the neighborhood, congregated here in order, as
they assured us, to see whether after the rout we had
suffered at the hands of the braves some of the
Christians, either safe or wounded returned, and
they told us how sorry they had been at this sad
news and they assured us that not only those of this,
[117]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscah, S. J.
but also those of other villages had agreed to avenge
this offense and that they were already preparing
their arrows, quitting the harvest of the canary-
spurge that they had already commenced on the
slopes of the gulf, where on account of the heat it
matures earlier. Enough was told them so that they
remained convinced of the truth. We exhorted them
to refrain from the continual fights and frequent
killings they perpetrated on each other. We had
stopped at a distance of about three gun-shots from
their settlement in order to avoid any disorder that
might arise by being too close. The heathens asked
us to promenade the horses around in the surround-
ing country in order that they could see them better,
and they did not tire looking at them. Their
curiosity impelled them to draw nearer and the fear
of things they had never seen before caused them to
stand aloof. Some of them less timid went about
beholding and touching all the other apparel and
utensils. Two squads with some heathens as guides
were sent from this place to explore the plains on
both sides of this stream. Here some pasture was
found. The borders of this stream are high and
towering peaks. It is in the rear of Los Angeles
toward the West. Opening the way as it already is
from Lorreto all the way North, it would be about a
half day's march. When a mission will be estab-
lished in Los Angeles this place may serve to main-
tain a portion of stock. The water is abundant in
wells and the stream in places has patches of reed-
grass. Where the current is today, in addition to
[118]
Conclusion of the Diary of Father Ferdinand Consag
being very deep there are no lands (islands). If on
a plain of palms that can be seen from there the
water comes out again, which is the only thing that
has been wanting, according to information, this
year, there may be a short season there for sowing
crops. Heathens from various settlements kept
coming with messages to the effect that all of the
people who had gone to gather canary spurge would
soon come up and present themselves. The day
ended with a fatal event for some of the Christians
by the grass that causes fever, swelling and sores,
another fell over a precipice and if the Blessed
Virgin, the patroness of our journey had not suc-
cored him, his fate would have been either death or
broken arms and limbs. Even though he remained
for a long time unconscious, he came out of the acci-
dent with nothing more than skinned muscle and a
slight contusion on his head. As the heathens were
very much impressed with the thought that we had
suffered a great loss at the hands of the braves, in
order to show them the advantages of fire-arms,
which we explained to them, at night-fall we fired a
musket. This was illy interpreted to mean that the
Christians were giving a signal to do away with all
of the heathens on that night. They were persuaded
that it was not so, and at the hour in which the
barbarians are wont to make their night attacks, all
of them fled, excepting the one who was sleeping
among the Christians. Those who were guarding
the pack animals gave the notice of the flight, but it
was considered wise not to hinder their flight.
[119]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
On the 27th, even though on setting out not a
single heathen appeared excepting the one who had
spent the night among us, scarcely had we halted
when the squadron of Indians came, all of them robust
young persons, but without arms, to salute us. Some
of these had just arrived on this same morning.
Others had already come the preceding night, but as
the entire settlement fled they fled too. As the}^ saAV
that we did not pursue the fugitives, and as they did
not see any sign of hostility they understood that
they had misunderstood the shot. Through them we
learned that that had been the cause of all the people
fleeing. Another gave the message in the name of
his settlement, that having heard that I was to cross
his settlement all of the people were waiting for me
there. Our footmen suggested that we stop here
several days in order that they might take advantage
of the fruits and provide themselves with their ordi-
nary food that was to be found in that place in
abundance. We could not do this for them, for if a
heavy rain should fall as the weather had been
threatening for a number of days, we would have
found it necessary to stop there for a long time,
perhaps weeks in order to get out of that stream.
On this account it was decided that the following
day's march be a short one, just long enough to get
out of some narrow and the most difficult passes so
that we would not make it difficult for the footmen
to take advantage of the abundance of that district.
This stream, Kanayikaman is very celebrated among
the Indians, more on account of the abundance of
[120]
Conclusion of the Diary of Father Ferdinand Consag
every kind of their barbarous wild foods than on
account of running water or pasture, or tillable lands,
things which the heathens do not know how to appre-
ciate on account of their innate barbarity.
On the 28th others who had gotten ill again and
wanted to go back to their country were sent over
the most direct route. The short day's march too,
was executed. We noted the difficulty with which
the Indians converted the palms themselves into
ladders, by tying at intervals sticks across the trunks
in order to be able to climb them and to gather with
less danger the fruit that they are so fond of.
On the 29th over the same road by w^hich we had
come we succeeded in getting back to its mouth. We
immediately decided to explore the tongue of sand
that we had seen on the 30th day of May. Accord-
ing to the custom of the country, they uniformly
pointed in the direction of what I sought; with
respect to the place in which we were this was almost
due South. By the distance, as I learned from the
Indians, to the beginning of the tongue and by what
I observed when I saw it, w^e may prudently affirm
that it is situated in twenty-eight degrees and some
minutes. I wished to explore it personally but all of
the natives gave me to understand that it was not
possible for me to do so, first, because of want of
water and pasture, and second, because at a short
distance there begins a sort of quick-sand in which
those on foot, as they go barefooted sink down to
their knees, and in some places even to the waist.
They assured me that they would give me a very
[121]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, 8. J.
faithful report. With those best informed about the
place, we sent the most skilled of our men to make the
exploration. The rest went off towards some hills
near the ocean of which they afford a view. I
reached one of these hills in company with the com-
mander of the expedition, in good time. But I saw
only the sad mantle of the ocean, with which, at this
time of the year, the fog almost continually covers it,
and in a short time borne down from the Northwest
it enveloped us in dark cold night.
On the 30th as soon as the cold permitted us we
went with the entire train to the watering place on
the skirt of the Sierra. I remained with Don Fer-
nando de Rivera and with some footmen waiting
for the fog to lift. It was dispelled in the Sierra but
on the ocean it remained so dense, that it destroyed
our hopes of being able to see, this entire day, the
island which in the Californias is called the Island
of the Holy Trinity, and according to the fathers of
the Nao (ship) of the Pilipinas, Island of Peaks or of
Cedars. Only once did I succeed in discovering it
when the fog became less dense. In the language of
these natives, it is called Vamalgua or Guamalgua,
which means the house or abode of the fogs. This
name explains very well what happens to this Island
and what it communicates to the nearest beaches.
The end of my detention having failed, I set out for
the watering place where the others were. This
watering place is called Medacal. Here two settle-
ments awaited me, the one inhabiting this place and
the other one from a place nearby on the other side
[122]
Conclusion of the Diary of Father Ferdinand Consag
of the Sierra, or more correctly speaking, from one
of the arms of the Sierra that stretches towards the
ocean. They are very numerous and I wished to see
them and to talk to them because they are less dis-
tant from the Frontier. Some people were sent out
to see whether they could find some trail. At short
distance they found a heathen from this settlement ;
he showed us the trails that his people use, but we
could not follow them because all of them were cov-
ered with under-brush, steep and in some places even
perpendicular. This report was brought back by
some who returned with the Indian, the rest remain-
ing in order to make the same exploration in other
parts as soon as they would break.
On the first of July more people were sent in order
that if a bad pass should be encountered they would
be able to make it passable in a shorter length of
time with increased number of sappers and laborers.
About half past nine, those who had gone to explore
the tongue of sand returned. They brought a cup, a
soup bowl, a plate of China ware and a good portion
of white wax in bulk. They informed us that all of
the surroundings were full of baskets of this ware of
all kinds, large vases and platters and of other simi-
lar things ; of nails and of pieces of iron. But these
pieces of iron and even the nails which are still
sticking in their broken pieces of wood, fall into
dust when one touches them. They found hammered
lead, various pieces of bronze, medium and small in
size ; and that which is found in most abundance and
most easily is wax. On account of the lack of water
[123]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
one cannot stop long, because the nearest water is
very brackish and if it does not create the thirst it at
least does not quench it. All of these things found
here indicate very clearly that on these same tongues
of sand some ship was stranded or ship-wrecked in
the vicinity, a thing that can still happen even when
there is no severe storm, through not knowing the
coast. The ocean, w^hen least expected is wont to
flood the entire shores in some parts almost reaching
the Sierra without there being perceived in the
neighborhood any storm. This doubtless, is caused
by a storm at a considerable distance from the shore.
The tongue of sand has on each side some small bays
which during the low tide leave a very narrow ridge
high and dry that join the mainland. On both sides
w^hales are frequently found. In case that some ship
should come to these parts when the ocean is flooding
the shores, they too, would see those monsters of the
sea and not fearing any danger their ship would
ground. For this reason it w^ould be less dangerous
to navigate, when it is necessary to pass between
the island of The Holy Trinity or that of the Picks
and California, keeping nearer the Island than to the
mainland.
On the 2nd on account of not having found a pass
nor being able to open one through the arm of the
Sierra, in order to reach the large settlement, a
message was sent by one of their ow^n people ex-
plaining my desire and we set out towards the North-
west to cross the same Sierra that cost us so much
difficulty when we went. But as the passes were
[124]
Conclusion of the Diary of Father Ferdinand Consag
already known, people were sent ahead in order to
improve them. A new Christian assured us that in
years past he had gone hunting with heathens from
other settlements to a mountain where they set fire
to the grass in order to scare out the deer. This
information was not to be scorned, but the informa-
tion given by Indians recently converted can not be
easily believed, not because they wish to lie or de-
ceive, but because they are wont to be mistaken in
their information. As the part that we were to
penetrate, in order to explore, was the most interior
of the Sierra, it was considered best that some more
intelligent ones would first explore it and observe
whether there was grass in abundance, as we were
led to presume by the report that we had just heard,
and noting whether, in any place, it was accessible
so that all of us might go, if the report were found
to be true. For this purpose the people who were to
go early the following day were named.
On the 3rd day we continued ascending the Sierra
on the top of which with his armed Indians the chief
of the settlement, that I desired to see, but was not
able to see on account of the roughness of the road,
was waiting for us. After having saluted me, some
of them returned in order to bring their families,
others accompanied me until we stopped in Laboacal,
the site of the settlement, the chief of which on
presenting himself told me that he would go to col-
lect his scattered people, who came together at twi-
light. Almost at the same time twenty families
arrived who brought with them those who had gone
[125]
Life and ^Yorks of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
to look for them from the summit of the Sierra.
They told us that others preoccupied by their fear
did not dare to come. Other heathens moved by
their natural curiosity to see me, came down from
the center of the Sierra. They told me of the skir-
mish they had had with another settlement after I
had passed through that part of the country. They
assured me that some were hurt and wounded on
both sides, but that they did not get to the point of
fighting with arrows. Having heard them I exhorted
them, as the case required, to live in peace and
friendly concord with all, and especially with their
neighbors. In addition to the variation and diversity
of the dialect this nation varies in its arms which
consist of a piece of wood in the shape of an im-
perfect ellipse, not closed like the letter 0, but open
on one side almost like the letter C or G, with the
points turned slightly in. Its largest circumference
is perhaps three spans and a half; the wood is hard,
it is not round but flat and when they seize it with
the hand in order to throw it, it represents an in-
verted C. They use this arm when they hunt hares
and rabbits, throwing it low, so that it grazes the
ground, and if it does not kill them it knocks them
down and wounds them. They use the same arm
when they first get angry and in sudden attacks as
the preamble of the flight that they later engage in
with arrows.
On the 4th we reached a mountain covered with
rough flint, but here and there some massive iron
colored rocks, hard to break, stood out. We found
[126]
Conclusion of the Diary of Father Ferdinand Consag
one there that caused a somewhat strong movement
of the needle of the compass, which when applied to
others of the same color moved much more slowly.
About four o'clock in the afternoon, those who had
been sent out with the Christians to investigate the
pasture that was on this range of mountains, returned
and related, that there was grass only in places, but
that they had found a source of water very high, sur-
round by irrigable land. The water is not very
abundant and at a short distance, after having run
a stretch, it sinks away. But with ordinary diligence
it will suffice for a small crop. It is on a low hill
and runs out upon a valley of the Sierra. The water
hole is not large but it always has water, according
to the information of the inhabitants, who had
joined with four other settlements, with the intention
of exhausting its supply, in one of their tribal feasts.
They spent two days in their superstitious labor, and
they saw that the more they tried to exhaust the
supply the more vehemently it gushed out. With
this disillusionment, in their barbarous obstinancy
they ceased, having lost hopes of succeeding in their
attempt. The people of the settlement of this place
had just returned from a fight with those of another
settlement and they were very happy because they
had been victorious. When the California heathens,
with the fruits of Summer, have somewhat recovered
from their emaciation, that the lack of sustenance
together with the cold of winter, usually causes them,
some settlements are wont to challenge others to
contests. This custom might be taken for a diversion
[127]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
peculiar to th^ir condition and their miserably bar-
barous mode of life, if their grudges, enmities and
wars did not originate in this. The side that is
beaten in these contests takes up arms against the
one that conquers in order to wipe out the stain
of ignominy of defeat. If the fallen are about equal
in number on both sides all of them remain content
and they preserve their friendship. It fell to the lot
of the Christians to spend the night in the settlement
of the heathens, and as they, (the Christians) are
accustomed to get together at night-fall to recite the
Rosary and the litanies of the Blessed Virgin, and at
day-break the Christian Doctrine, those barbarians
abandoned even their women and children, and
mingled with our men in order to hear better what was
being done. The road, over which we had reached the
vallej'- and springs of this range of mountains, was
very bad. The one of the return journey, was equally
bad on account of the great roughness of the Sierra
which slopes towards the ocean, on account of being
full of precipices, of underbrush, or heaps of large
loose rocks. ' Only on the side of the Seno or Gulph,
those who went in that direction, found a better
road. This was the report given and it was believed
on account of the intelligence and experience of those
who gave the information. In order to ascend the
Sierra and to go down the watersheds of the Gulph,
it would have been necessary to return to the vicinity
of La Piedad, and there journey once more towards
the North, a thing that could not be executed, not
only on account of the sick but also on account of the
[128]
Conclusion of the Diary of Father Ferdinand Consag
others who wished to get back on time for the
harvest of fruits and grain that had begun in their
country. And thus remains this information to
direct another journey that might be made.
On the 5th, in a place where we had scarcely seen
any one before, on our return journey, the entire
settlement, which was numerous, had gotten toge-
ther. We admitted them, we feasted them and we
exhorted them, on account of being nearer, to dis-
pose themselves to receive the Holy Faith. Our
arrival was at such an opportune time that by it the
lives of two heathens were saved. They had come
from another not far distant settlement as friends.
Meanwhile an Indian died of sickness ; the sick man,
at his death, or some of his near relatives attributed
the death to the witch or charmer* of the settlement
in which we were. As the two had come here, one
from this settlement had gone to that from which the
two came. The relatives of the deceased seeing that
he was from the same settlement as the charmer,
who in their barbarous opinion had caused the ill-
ness and death of their Indian, wished to kill him.
But he had the happy fortune of making his escape
and he arrived a little ahead of us and told the
offense he had suffered and the danger that he had
been in. Vengeance was to be reaked on the two by
killing them, but we prevented this, procuring to
dispel their barbarous and fantastic belief. All of
these heathens believe that the sickness and natural
deaths are caused by the charmers. No matter how
Medicine man
.[129]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
feeble the old man and the old women may be,
nature itself becoming decadent on account of the
constitution and the weight of years, they still in the
infirmities of age, always blame those malicious per-
sons. And worse still is- their other belief, that in
order to free themselves from sickness or death it is
necessary to kill the one who, according to their crazy
apprehension, they judge to be author of the affliction
from which they suffer. On account of this diaboli-
cal error, a short time ago, some sick persons called
a charmer from another settlement with the pretext
that they wanted him to cure them, and as they
judged, that it was due to his charm that they were
ill, they wished to take his life. But by the casual
arrival of our men, he who had been destined to
suffer a cruel and bloody death, was freed. Realizing
the danger into which his infamous profession put
him, and that he owed his life to the two Christians,
he came and was baptized, insuring thus not only the
life of his body, but also the more important salva-
tion of his soul. The charmers attribute to them-
selves the power of giving health. For this purpose
they have in each tribe or settlement one who is at
the same time, their minister with their idols and the
physician who is to cure their ills. Even though
they give natural remedies of herbs and various
plants, they administered them with a thousand arts
of superstitious cries and gestures. And pretending
that they are invested with some spirit, they have
ready, either a thorn, or a stone, or some little animal
of the insect world. They apply their mouth to that
[130]
The Manner of curing the Sick
in California
^^^fe^g^4--J
Sorcerers of California
'-■%
Conclusion of the Diary of Father Ferdinand Consag
of the patient, they suck, and with dissimulation take
out the thorn, stone, or whatever they had prepared,
and they immediately assure that the disease caused
by the thorn, stone, or whatever it may be, had gone
out, and they receive the fee for their services. The
enchanters of this tribe are such only in name, for in
reality they are impostors or even malicious persons
who with herbs and roots that are poisonous some-
times injure or treacherously deprive the patient
of life. On of these, finding himself completely
scorned after the people of his settlement had been
baptized, threatened them in order to frighten them,
saying that he knew of herbs and roots with which
he would avenge his scorn. When it was already
night, a Christian came with the message, that in La
Piedad, the majority of the people who were to come
in touch with this new mission were waiting, and
that among them were many sick. With this un-
expected news, even though I had decided to remain
here with these Indians, w^ho are very rude, in order
to tame them somewhat, it became necessary for me
to continue my journey on the following day.
On the 6th, before departing, some children, who
had been offered by their parents, were baptized. On
arriving at the other place, which is a neighboring
settlement, as there were already many Christians
among them, I exhorted the rest to follow the example
of their people and embrace the Holy Faith, and to
render themselves, through baptism, worthy of eter^
nal glory. But they affirm that they are afraid to
[131]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
pass through this village, because there are still many
infidels there, on account of the reciprocal and recent
hostility. They also assured me that they were re^
strained from doing so by their fear of death, because
they had observed that many who went to be baptized
became ill or died. Moreover they were made luke-
warm by the distance from their settlement to Saint
Ignatius, the frontier Mission. They promised that
if there were a priest near them, they would join.
Two others came from La Piedad with the report that
some of the sick were growing very gravely ill. We
at once prepared everj^thing so that I could go ahead,
as soon as day broke, the rest following me in regular
day's marches.
On the 7th, in company with the commander of the
expedition and footmen, I betook myself, with forced,
but happy marches, to La Piedad, where I adminis-
tered the sacraments to various sick persons. This
same day the rest of our train followed and spent the
night in San Everardo.
On the 8th, all of them reached La Piedad, with
the contentment and consolation of not having had
any special difficulty and without any one having
died, notwithstanding the fact that many had fallen
sick. On this journey we ascertained the great num-
ber of people who live among the craggs and canyons.
We already had information to the effect that there
were many settlements, but on seeing them we found
many more people than we had expected to find. A
missionary father coming and establishing himself
[132]
Conclusion of ike l)iary of Father Ferdinand ConsaQ
in La Piedad, we may prudently presume that, in ad-
dition to the thousand Christians already baptized,
there would, in a short time, be added more than that
many again. This tribe before experiencing our treats
ment of them, showed itself to be very rude and sav-
age, and with blood and fire, wished to make an end
of everybody. But later, with the preaching and in-
struction of the priests, among all of those of Cali-
fornia, this tribe has been found to be the most docile
in receiving Christian customs and in coming forward
in no small numbers of both sexes, to ask for Holy
Communion with great consolation of the missionary
father. And making it somewhat difficult for them
to approach such a lordly table, in order to see wheth-
er their desire sprang from curiosity or from faith,
and supernatural motives, one sees very clearly, in
the case of many, how much the grace of our Lord
can accomplish. Those who know how difficult it is
to get the natives of other provinces to frequent the
sacrament of Holy Communion, will appreciate fully
this fervor in the faith of these new Christians. The
pity is, that it will be necessary to interrupt the con-
quest of this very poor and needy Peninsula on ac-
count of the lack of provisions necessary to maintain
here the evangelical Ministers. The means that the
piety of the gentlemen and ladies, desirous of the
salvation of so many souls, have provided, have all
been used in the Missions already established and
that have been maintained up to the present time.
May Our Lady of Loretto, patroness of California,
[133]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand KonUak, S. J.
move the hearts of the devotees, in order that, with
their wealth, they may supply the provisions that
the ruggedness and sterility of this country denies
them.
[134]
VIII
Letter of the Father Provincial
Francisco Zevallos
OPINION of the Most Reverend Father Manuel
Llano, Professor of a chair of the province,
Commander and Regent of studies of "Convento
Grande" of Mexico, and actual Provincial in the
province of "Visitation de neueva Espana del Real'*
and Military Order of ' ' Nuestra Senora de la Merced
Redemption de Captivas. "
Most excellent Sir:
Submitting to the superior ruling of your Excel-
lence, I have read the letter which the Most Rev.
Father Mgr. Francisco Zevallos, Provincial of the
Sacred Company of Jesus, wrote about the apostolical
life and exquisite virtues of the venerable Father
Fernando Konsag, notable Missionary of California,
and find in it a particular example, w^hich aims and
inclines in most timid spirit to induce and stimulate
the most lukewarm soul, incites and inflames for most
neglected charity to pursue virtue, urge with ardour
the supreme goodness of the soul and abhor vice. And
notwithstanding this apostolic fervor to which the
venerable F. Fernando devoted himself to conquer
souls for heaven, it is not new in the sacred Company
of Jesus, because since its foundation until now it
. [135]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand KonscaU, S. J.
has been its general practice and uninterrupted task,
nevertheless the loftiness of fervor, deep-rooted vir-
tues, profound meekness, poverty of Spirit, fervent
charity toward the neighbor, a disregard of self, an
abandonment of the world and many other virtues
of this apostolic hero are an example that should be
put before the public in order to find followers in
the path of divine love and to secure eternal beati-
tude. And for this reason I offer to your Reverence
this short notice of his Apostolic life and virtues.
Fr. Fernando was a Croatian by birth. His
birthplace was the city of Varazdin in Croatia on the
upper Drave near the border of Styria, the seat of
the county named also Varazdin. There are in the
kingdom of Hungaria, a good distance farther, two
other cities of the names Great and Little Varadin, of
which for the designed boundaries, remains the home
of our Fernando sufficiently distinguished. He was
born in 1703, the year in which the Reverend Fathers
Juan Maria de Salvatierra and Francisco Maria Picolo
had been working zealously at the first Missionary
establishments of the Jesuits in California. It was
the 3rd of December, the feast of the Apostle of the
Indias San Francisco Xavier, carrying to them a
species of a pray-faith.
His parents belonged to a distinguished family of
the nobility and of not less charity. The child, re-
born into better life, by being baptized, became edu-
cated with such godly anxiety which earnest Catholic
parents in yonder districts generally display, where
sincere Religion is mixed with the hodge-podge of hear-
[136]
Letter of the Father Provincial Francisco Zevallos
say. Since his most tender juvenile age, our Fer-
nando has shown unerring signs for what he prepared
himself in the future. The extraordinary abundance
of wine in Hungaria, and particularly in Slavonia-
Croatia made its use very common, even for the chil-
dren. Yet it was much, when invited by his father,
our Fernando drank it for the first time. Although
he drank very little, it made him sick and without
more experience he decided that he would never take
another drop, and he kept his resolution so faithfully,
that his first drink remained the only one of his life-
time. Constancy, difficult and astonishing then in
his age and in a country so exposed, and not less later
on many occasions when maligeriti or scarceness of
other food seemed to make a moderate use of wine
necessary. What made this constancy even more
marvelous is the fact that his Mission was surrounded
by vineyards.
Scarcely had he finished his grammar school, when
Fernando felt convinced that God had called him into
the Society and to the Indians, who he heard were
still heathens, and was therefore eager to make them
a flock of Christ.
However, the plans his father, a high army officer,
had for his son were very different. He expected
that the boy would follow him in his military career,
and in powerful language he pointed out to him the
great advantages the son would have as the father
was by his services persona grata with the emporer.
But neither force, nor requests nor threats could
change his mind. The constant contempt and coldness
[137]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
with which Fernando perceived everything rela-
tive to worldly hopes and expectations only fortified
his pious resolution and convinced him that God had
called him to a more glorious army.
Having procured the approbation of his Father,
he solicited with great persistency to be admitted to
some provinces in India*. He was told that they
would keep in mind his desire, but that nevertheless
he could enter into the order, and so he entered into
our Novitiate not quite 16 years of age.
He was only a few days a Novice, when he appeared
as if he were already many years on the road to per-
fection and religious regularity. He was a model for
his fellow novices through the extraordinary zeal
with which he observed the rules and distributions,
as also the exercises to the uttermost details. Hav-
ing finished this, he learned his lessons in science and
consecutively in Philosophy and Mathematics. In all
this he made well-known progress, but the most in
Mathematics. Among his numerous fellow novicea
was none who could dispute his superiority. Brother
Fernando and some of his competitors were usually
considered equal among themselves and very much
ahead of all the others. This general appreciation
reconciled him and perhaps could make him forget
his thoughts of India. But he insisted every day in
his vocation and finally he procured from our Fr.
General permission to come to this Province in New
Spain.
America was called India.
[138]
Letter of the Father Provincial Francisco Zevallos
When he arrived here, he was already an ordained
Priest and during his four years study of Theology
in the Mission of that Province, Fr. Buenaventura
Plana, Procurer at the Philippine Islands, was con-
ducting since 1730.
Whoever, reads this letter with reflection will find
himself many a times moved to tender activity and
induced by its weight will follow the road of virtue
and perfection. Therefore, in consideration of the
heroic deeds of Father Konsag, as also because of the
pure and delicate style and the piety of the Most
Rev. F. Provincial, who wrote it; for this, and not
to contain an}i;hing that would violate our Holy Cath-
olic Faith and good manners I am of the opinion that
your Excellency can give permission to have it print-
ed without injury or diminuation.
Convent of ''Our Lady of Mercy" (Nuestra Senora
de la Merced") of Mexico, November 15, 1764.
Most Excellent Sir,
yours most affectionate servant and Chaplain
Fr. Manuel Llano
B. L. M. de V. Exc (Kissing the hands of your Exc.)
Ill
Judgement of Fr. Pablo Robledo of the Holy So-
ciety of Jesus, Professor of the Prima in the Gran
College of St. Peter and St. Paul of Mexico.
Mr. Vicar general:
Submitting to the superior ruling of your Excel-
lence, I have read and examined the instructive let-
ter, and your Grace can give permission to have it
[139]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
printed, because it contains nothing against our Holy
Faith, good manners or the rights of His Majesty.
Gran College of Mexico of St. Peter and St. Paul,
(Colegio Maximo) November 24, 1764.
Mr. Vicar general
yours humble servant
Pablo Robledo
B. L. M. de V. L. (Kissing the hands of your Grace)
My beloved Fr. Rector
P. C. so.
We should have particular veneration for those
men who, in following the example of the Apostles
carried first the light of the gospel to those that were
still in the darkness of infidelity and death. They
are chosen vessels, singularly selected by God, to carry
His Holy name to the heathens and confirm in strict
sense the literal fulfillment of those great prophecies ;
that the light will shine and they will hear the voices
of the gospel as far as to the end of the earth.
Exactly there California is situated. A large part
of it was unknown till now and buried in the rude
shadow of paganism. Fr. Konsag was the first, who
evangelized those regions and relatively a considerable
portion of this new world, thus, it appears, he brought
about the literal fulfillment of that prophecy. He
became one of those men singularly selected to be
partners in the apostleship, and one of the great
models, which God put before our eyes in order to
awaken in us a burning desire to work for his glory
and for the salvation of souls.
[140]
Letter of the Father Provincial Francisco Zevallos
After he had finished his Theology and his proba-
tion time, the superiors, knowing his fervent desire
for missionary work, dared not hesitate in helping
him to fulfill it. Immediately they sent him to Cali-
fornia, which being newly Christianized demanded
a man of extraordinary activity.
He did not feel the hardships of the voyage; they
seemed sweet to him leading him into his beloved
California. He arrived finally at Loretto, and hardly
landed he threw himself in tenderness before the
image of Maria Lauretana, tutelar of those Missions,
praying for particular protection necessary for a
missionary of California. Doubtless has the merciful
mother heard such devout entreaty; his heart which
was filled with a new spirit, told him so. After a few
days he arrived at St. Ignatio, seventy miles north
of Loretto.
St. Ignatio was then very new and conducted most
gloriously by our Fr. Sebastian de Sistiaga. But the
Indians were scattered thinly in huts and situated
according to their barbaric nature between broken
ground and brambles and briers in the most inacces-
sible and rough part of the country. The soil was
productive of much grain, but a great deal of it was
spoiled because there was only one man to work, al-
though strong, was he not able to gather it. Great
were the needs for the Missionaries as well as for the
Indian farmers. And when two were sufficient, it
was only because each one worked for many. Fr.
Fernando, whose zeal did not need to be incited, did
wonderful work. After a few days he knew the
[141]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
lan^age of the region, one of the rudest in Cali-
fornia, and he spoke it as well as the natives.
Established thus for the exercising of his ministry,
everything became easy to him, not by the rules of
prudence, but by the same holy imprudence which he
admired in his companion. Both of them, each in his
own way and on horseback or on foot, they went with-
out objection against the great heat, here in this re-
gion intolerable. Like avaricious persons in pursuit
of a hidden treasure they crossed the road, winding
for many miles in circumference, in search of Indians,
without being embarrassed by the insupportable heat
of that climate, or by the enormous distances or by
the roughness of the roads. They found some families
here and others there, who were living like wild beasts
between cliffs or in caves. By the unction of the
Holy Spirit and the sweetness of their words that
gushed from their peaceful hearts to their mouths,
they gained little by little until they won this stupid
looking species of humanity entirely over to Jesus
Christ.
During one of the many epidemics that afflicted
these parts of the country, the two went out visiting,
consoling and assisting the sick or disposed of them,
and it happened frequently that one or two weeks or
even a month passed when they did not have the con-
solation of seeing one another, living scarcely on
coarse food and with as little rest as it was absolutely
necessary. The dominant principle of their zeal was,
to keep up this fire in their hearts, which grew from
day to day until the last of their lives.
[142]
Letter of the Father Provincial Francisco Zevallos
From the Mission of St. Ignatio, which was then
by the frontier to the north, Fr. Fernando went to
the south, but after a short time he returned to his
former much more toilsome work at St. Ignatio. The
experience he already had with the Indians and
knowing well that in order to fasten his changeable
temper as well as to assure our Holy Faith to the new
converts, it was absolutely necessary to hold them
with word and sacrament which they had just began
to like, and also with bodil}^ support, which they
needed. It w^as an almost impossible enterprise con-
sidering the sterility of the soil, mountainous and
rocky in most parts and entirely bare. The destitute
currents, the extremely abnormal weather, with rain
in excess at one time and none whatever at another,
frightful innundations and dreadful droughts made
work hard.
Nevertheless, the many obstacles only fortified the
zeal of Fr. Fernando, who courageously undertook to
organize the work of conveying ground and water.
With hard labor and inexpressible perspiration he fi-
nally succeeded in making the mountainous productive
country, capable of not only producing the necessary
amount of grain but also of a good harvest of wine
and many other plants and trees, for medicinal pur-
poses as well as for the sake of their fruits. Then
he constructed an aqueduct of half a mile distance
to conduct water to the Mission for drinking and
kitchen use, and also excavations for irrigating the
land. To counteract the flood danger, which in those
regions may destroy in a few days the work of many
[143]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
years, he constructed a stone terreplein to support
the dike. This was almost a mile in length, eight
yards thick and five to six yards high, a sumptuous
work, as it was never seen before and nobody would
have dreamed of it in this country, and until it was
completed, nobody but Fr. Fernando would have
imagined its possibility.
For his heart, however, such undertakings were
insignificant, much more important were his travels
which made his name famous throughout the literary
world. In every cultured European country the
name of Fr. Fernando Konsag was published with
praise in the new maps of our America, which before
were erroneous and defective in respect to California.
It was Fr. Fernando who corrected them after his
first journey in 1746. It was also during this year
that the Father fervently planned the foundation of
a new Mission in the north with the name San Juan
Baptista (St. John, the Baptist) when he received
order from the Fr. Provincial Christobal de Escobar
to inspect and survey the north above the California
bay to make sure whether or not California is con-
nected with the Pimeria, because if it is, the Eoyal
permit has to be obediently secured and the pious in-
tentions of its Majesty about the Missions of the Pime-
ria and California has to be observed. For such a
journey was a Father Konsag very necessary, not com-
manding over needed human help. But, as says the
same Father; "Every difficulty is made easy through
the importance and the consequences of this forcible
assiduity, and because the Missions concerned in this
[144]
Letter of the Father Provincial Francisco Zevallos
undertaking in the service of God are supported by
His Majesty who contributes to meet the expenses for
the increased necessities, as there are provision of
canoes, marines, eatables and all things to think of
in view of crossing bays, landing at unknown coasts,
inhabited only by Barbarians."
In spite of all the difficulties, in four uncovered
canoes in which was placed the small military escort
and a few Christian Indians of the Cochimi tribe, on
the 9th of June of the same year 1746, the Father
started from St. Charles, which is under the 28th de-
gree northern latitude and between innumerable risks
on the water as well as dangers meeting with savages
on the coasts. After forty-six days of sailing he final-
ly arrived at the outlet of the Colorado River, studies
its course and stated all in an exactly measured map,
which demonstrates that California is not an island,
as many believe, but a peninsula, united and connected
with our America and only separated through the
formerly mentioned Colorado River from the main-
land, territories of the Yumas and Cocomaricopas.
As the original collection of impressions gathered
during this journey is written by the selfsame Father
in the 3rd volume of "Historia de California" and
an extract from it in ' ' Theatro Americano ' ' of Joseph
Villa Senor and in ''Afanes Apostolicos" it is useless
here to go into the details of it.
In ''Afanes Apostolicos" (Apostle work) we find
the daily accounts of his 2nd journey written also by
F. Fernando. He was commissioned for this excur-
sion by the Visitador General (Inspector General)
[145]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
Fr. Juan Antonio Balthasar since the year 46, in
which year he had made his first. And this 2nd was
just as necessary as was the first, for the reasons many
times expressed in the Royal schedule. The entire re-
duction and conversion of all California, in which be-
sides the propagation of our Holy Faith and extension
of the Royal Dominions there were other interests of
the Monarchy. Fr. Fernando then began his 2nd
excursion to the south sea and the Sierra Madre, which
divides the half island in east and west California.
He started with five soldiers, and a sufficient num-
ber of natives, on the 22nd of May 1751 from the
last Christian cottage, which belonged to his Mission,
although it was fifty miles away from it, and which
they had called *'Piedad" but which is now a separate
Mission under the name ' ' Santa Gertrudis. ' ' During
the entire journey the Father was as during the first,
supporting the desparing by his own example, attend-
ing the sick like a loveable mother, disarming with
his ' ' amabilitad " and sweetness the ferocity of the
Barbarians, who many times attacked the little troop.
Thus throwing into that uncultured territory the first
seed of the gospel and winning many heathens for the
flock of Jesus Christ and baptizing a number of chil-
dren, some of them only a few moments before they
died, also many others, whom their parents voluntari-
ly brought, charmed by the amiability of the Mission-
ary. To this chiefly is due the foundation of the new
Mission of Santa Gertrudis, solicited by the converted
Indians themselves, and so also another, established
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Letter of the Father Provincial Francisco Zevallos
in the interior under the name and protection of San
Francisco de Borja.
On July 8th, of the same year (1751). Fr. Fernan-
do had returned to the point of his departure. In
the same cottage from which he had started he again
had all his followers around him; none was missing
notwithstanding that quite a number of them became
dangerosuly sick on the way, an event which Fr. Fer-
nando points out as very notable in his "Diairo."
He had then already a thousand baptized converts
around him, to which he added many more after a
short time and had the satisfaction of seeing accom-
plished, after what he was so eagerly striving to wit ;
the erection of a new Mission, which, as we stated was
called Santa Gertrudis.
Now there still remained the examination of the
Eastern part of the peninsula, which is situated be-
tween the high Cordiallera or Sierra Madre which ex-
tends itself from the South to the North, dividing al-
most into halves the whole land and the red sea or
Gulf of California. The object of this third journey
was the same as that of the two former ; the glory of
God and the salvation of a great many souls who had
not as 3^et been aware of the light of the gospel. With
this in view and commissioned by the Inspector Gen-
eral, Fr. Augustin Carta during the months of June
and July 1753, he made his third journey, although
Fr. Fernando was alread}^ in his fiftieth j^ear. But
because of the experience he gathered during the
other two, one could expect fine results of this third
search for discoveries.
[147]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, ^. J.
His fame was known to everybody in the country
and he was spoken of with respect and love, even
among the heathens; so it was natural that the ac-
counts of his finding religious life and his charitable
works marched before him, and instead of finding
hostilities, which he experienced on his former ad-
ventures, he was now received not only peacefully,
but friendly and kindly. Here are his own words:
' ' The excursion was fortunate, so far we had not ex-
perienced resistance from the Gentiles, whereas on
the former journeys we were often alarmed/'
Fr. Fernando reached on this journey a place in
the interior of the Sierra opposite the bay San Luis
Gonzaga, 31 degrees latitude. He surveyed thorough-
ly the entire territory and doing this noticed an abun-
dance of little birds, which fact assured him of the
presence of water nearby, which is such a weighty
condition for the founding of a new Mission, and of
which he immediately thought. He attained with
proper precaution the baptism of many children, and
on his return he brought with him in triumph of our
Holy Faith over the Paganism many adult Gentiles,
whom he incorporated into the Santa Gertrudis Mis-
sion, leaving many more waiting behind to be gathered
as soon as possible since they gave proofs of their
earnest and fervent longing for baptism.
In his short description of this journey, Fr. Fer-
nando makes a most honorable mention of the Capi-
tain Commander of California, Don Fernando Xavier
Rivera de Moncada, who had escorted him on the trip
"that he never accepted any personal service."
[148]
Letter of the Father Provincial Francisco ZevaUos
These were not all the journeys which this great
Missionary made. Numberless were the occasions in
which he with incredible swiftness appeared to assist
wherever he was called by his fellow missioners or
his converts, or where there was hope of a new con-
version of heathen, or finally whither his duty of
Inspector Provincial of California led him, which
ofiice he held during the last years of his life. His
plans and arrangements even for his most extended
travels for discoveries were still more admirable and
worthy of imitation. He left without bed, without
tent, without anything to protect himself against the
burning sun or against the night dews or the wind,
which is sometimes intolerable. A walking stick and
a piece of canvas made his whole outfit and comfort.
The canvas served him as a bed on which he rested
after the toils of the day, a matter of three hours,
a practice to which he was accustomed while at the
Mission. After his short rest he rose without much
agitation, because for many years he had not un-
dressed nor removed his shoes. He knelt down and
passed motionless in prayer all the rest of the night
until sunrise. So he was seen constantly, among
others also by his fellow missionary who traveled
with the venerable Father and who awakening found
him often kneeling on a rock and motionless.
At daybreak everything was planned for the con-
tinuation of the journey. There came the Indians
praying aloud in their own idioms, while the Fr. fol-
lowed in prayer with the same quietness as before in
the silence of night. Arrived at the desired point,
[149]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, 8. J.
he mixed himself into the rows of his followers, amused
them in his genial joyful way, making them forget
fatigue and hardships and animating all and every-
one with an inexpressible sweetness. At mid-day he
stopped, observed the height of the sun, uncovered
his head and so exposed he, with the assistance of a
few of his most ardent followers recited the whole
divine church service. After a short meditation and
rest they continued their marching until night.
When they found themselves with the entrance
of darkness on an elevation with sandy ground, they
reckoned with it as many times their resting places
were so uncomfortable that it did not permit to stretch
the hody out into a restful position. After a short
rest and delay, Fr. Fernando regathered his flock and
and said with them the Rosary and many other pray-
-ers; then he alone continued with his peculiar devo-
tions until time to retire. This was his invariable
rule; which he strictly observed on all his travels. He
alwaj^s valued the time, but when he was in his Mis-
sion he was even overcareful in spending it. Sleep
was always short and prayers always prolonged. No
other cause or circumstance but the longing of sick
person for confession could be weighty enough to in-
terrupt him or permit him omit them. Those that
came into a liking of the unspeakable sweetness of
the service, the modest manner and godliness of the
religious talks, counted the hours in gladsome ex-
pectation of the next occasion. In reading the daily
Mass, he was not less firm and unfailing than in his
hours of prayer. He had such a-^ keen sense of duty,
[150]
Letter of the Father Provincial Francisco Zevallos
obligation that even in his last sickness, causing an
awful pain in his side, he celebrated Mass for ten
days; on the eleventh day, however, the violence of
pain overpowered him and he died.
With the magnitude of regularity he had combined
a wonderful veneration and devotion with which he
offered this tremendous sacrifice daily to God. In
spite of their general insensibility, the Indians were
moved to compassion hearing Fr. Konsag read Mass,
and it was a common sajdng with them, that he seemed
to be an angel when at the Altar. He also read his
daily spiritual lesson as he had done in the tranquility
of a College ; this was immediately after Mass, if the
confession of a sick person did not interfere, for this
was always his first care to which all other occupa-
tions were subordinated. To build up a Christianity
similar to that of the primitive Church, with his con-
verts and catechumens, the care of the weak alwaj^s
the most privileged with him.
To this end he followed the already tested practice
at the Missions of the East, to use good instructed and
eager catechists. He had two schools for catechism
in his Mission and as teachers there he chose those
Indians in which besides the necessary instruction
he found the greatest zeal for propagating our Holy
Faith among their compatriots. Everyday in the
morning and in the evening he visited both schools,
carrying with him some rewards, which he distributed
among the catechumens and catechists who were
ahead, while he mildly censured and encouraged the
less assiduous.
[151]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
He wished unceasingly to catechise and baptize,
if possible, to convert the whole California, neverthe-
less he exercised the greatest circumspection in ad-
mitting Gentiles to Catechism or baptizing Catechu-
mens. Still he had inspired in them the proper ap-
preciation for our Holy religion. He rejected them
several times in terms that inflamed their desires. He
explained to them the anger of God in case they would
relapse into the errors and nonsense of their former
beliefs, or if they would not become poor Christians
or if they would not regulate their customs after the
sanctity of the faith and doctrine, which they have
to confess. After repeated instances and even shed-
ding of tears, which left no doubt of the sincerity of
their desires, the father designed a certain date for
this admission into the number of catechumens. In-
explicable was his rejoicing. Hords from cottage-
colonies arrived in entire families bringing with them
all their belongings, pagan and superstitious, which
in presence of the whole crowd they burned and re-
duced them to ashes. They then promised the Father,
highly assuring never to return to the caves and other
places destined for their superstitious habits. By
his experience in the Mission the father was taught
that precaution is of prime importance.
A little less importance was attached to the assur-
ance for provisions for the catechumens for the time
during which they learned Catechism; the food for
them who were baptized and for all the faithful for
those days, on which they had to listen to instructions
in Christian doctrines and also for days on which
[152]
Letter of the Father Provincial Francisco Zevallos
they had to attend Mass. Without this they could
not have obtained what they desired now that peace
which the others possessed. For this reason Father
Konsag placed a good deal of his attention to antici-
pate the secular rules in the Mission as means to make
felt the necessity of the spiritual laws. Bodily eyes,
that in such undertakings see only the earthly can
not discover this; they measure and criticise others
after their intentions. But we have the consolation
to see this practice justified in the anxiety with which
the Apostle Saint Paul procured alms with which he
helped the new Christianity of Jerusalem during its
earthly struggle.
To instruct and sanctify the faithful confided to
his care, F. Fernando assembled them every morning
by ringing of the bells. As many of them as were
in the building and in nearby huts assisted to pray
and exercise the doctrines, interrupting for this every
other occupation or work, if it was even the most
necessary. In the same way they gathered at night
for the Rosary. On Sundays and Holy days he ex-
plained to all the Christian doctrines and exhorted
them to practice virtue. This he considered to be a
strict obligation. But not satisfied with this alone,
he dispensed to them with much more frequency the
bread of the word of God, especially to prepare them
for the annual confession and communion. He made
them come, one by one those of his villages, and some
daj^s, before allowing them to start their confession,
he gave them three discourses more to make sure,
that they would confess and receive the sacrament
[153]
Life and Worhs of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
in perfect disposition and fervor. For these efforts
the omnipotent God poured blessings on his zeal, and
thus enabled he gathered and reaped a goodly spirit-
ual harvest
The Indians covered their faces during confession
and communion ; their repentance, faith and devotion
were such that they moved one to compassion while
looking at them. Greater than this was the careful
attention that the little ones paid to the father. With
the good will of their parents he gathered them at
the Mission and allowed no inerference with his prin-
cipal aim to give them a real Christian education and
thus make them suck the milk of faith and devotion.
Finally, (as says a fellow-missionary of F. Konsag,
to whom we owe the greater part of this information)
it would be a long story, if one would refer to the
marvelous methods with which he governed and made
one and all obedient to the rules of the Mission. And
the inducement would be even greater, which one
could make by virtues, that can only be acquired by
heroic human judgment. I will point out only a few,
where they are most marked and where they show
to be a part of his character. Since his early child-
hood it was the object of his longing his cause of
delight to bring our Holy Faith to the heathens. To
this he dedicated since them his most animated de-
sires, and later all his efforts and pains till he died.
It may be said that he lived and died a victim of
his faith. All what he undertook and performed in
order to propagate it, was an evident proof of hero-
ism of faith, as of greatness of hope. He resolutely
[154]
Letter of the Father Provincial Francisco Zevallos
took charge of works, which seemed impossible to
human judgment ; he never looked for human support,
but for that of the Lord, for whose glory he diligently
solicited and for him therefore nothing was impossible
or difficult. God was his help and his refuge and his
security and consolation in his greatest afflictions.
Many times he said to one of his fellow missionaries :
''Our treasures are deposited by God, and it is good
that his heavenly Majesty makes us suffer in this
world and keeps the reward for our limited merits
for heaven. Unfortunate are those, who expect some
reward in this life and blessed those, for whom God
has reserved it for the other. Let us work for the
glory of God until we are tired and let us ourselves
persuade others that the divine generosity can not
be outdone by ours. Let us raise our eyes and our
hearts up, where the object of our hopes dwells and
All our Good."
His hope great, his charity was still greater. It is
only measurable with the magnitude of his ardour
and unquenchable thirst for the salvation of souls.
This is the reason why Christ demands our life. In
asking his Apostle, whether he loves him and receiv-
ing an affirmative answer, he makes himself witness
to this love.
In the year of his death the V. F. wrote to the F.
Provincial offering him the foundation of a new Mis-
sion, for he never counted the many souls he had
brought into the flock of Jesus Christ, but the multi-
tude that was still outside. He desired fervently
martyrdom, but recognizing that his life was neces-
[155]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
sary for the settlement and its extension of the new
Christendom, he said more than once, ''that to win
only one soul more for God, he would gladly resign
the glory and crown of martyrdom." Glorious dis-
interestedness and worthiness of a son of that great
father, who between assuring his salvation or en-
dangering it by remaining alive in order to be of
service to God, chose this latter instead of the other.
Such high motive as his love for God was very ne-
cessary so that from it could grow that, which F. Fer-
nando had for his Indians, a people without human
attractiveness. The more they were deprived of per-
sonal amiability, the more he loved them, reckoning
them into the number of those little ones, to whom
God has given power to receive all the good. In this
way, F. Fernando made with his Indians things, which
to those that did not know his motives, seemed to be
worthless. Those who were with him on his travels,
he cured even of a thorn-scratch. During their ill-
ness, he assisted them spiritually and bodily, observ-
ing with more anxiety and love since padres could
do everything. Padres however grew tired at times
and became unamiable, but the F. as often as his
other duties wjould allow him, would stay with them
until they expired in his arms, assuring the dying
soul that God and heaven would be her everlasting
reward.
He did not limit his services to the Indians alone.
He loved with true and affectionate charity his fel-
low missionaries and brothers in Christ. He was so
pure and so liberal that it grieved him when he had
[156]
Letter of the Father Provincial Francisco Zevallos
to accept something, although it would only be a sign
of delicate gratitude, ''With charity this Mission was
created, ' ' he said, ' ' and with charity it is conserved. ' '
Between the Missions of Cinaloa and Pimeria was
an annual exchange of provisions of which there was
necessity. Considering the distance he assisted with
the greatest promptness always, when one of his fel-
low missionaries became ill, helping in everjrthing
with the most diligent charity. In one of these oc-
casions something happened, which if it was not really
a miracle, it certainly looked very much like a true
miracle.
Just as was his custom, F. Fernando, together with
F. Nasimben went to the Mission of Guadalupe, where
a Missionary was very sick. It was F. Gasteigger,
who with great anxiety had built the Church and
the Mission home. The whole side of the church was
erected on a slope of a hill, which could not be proper-
ly excavated not even leveled, for lack of money and
workingmen, to cut the rocks and make a convenient
foundation. Both Fathers were anxious to relieve
and calm the dying. Nevertheless, F. Fernando rose,
like always, at night for his long prayer. At sunrise
he said his Mass and remained kneeling in the church,
waiting for F. Nassimben to hear his Mass, which
mode they always had followed. While F. Nasimben
said the Mass, all of a sudden the whole structure fell
to pieces on account of its poor foundation. Many
of the people that were inside perished. F. Fernando
was at that moment in the Presbji^erium, and without
knowing how, he found himself under a threshold of
[157]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
the door to the sacristy, but the cloak he had upon his
shoulders was buried beneath the debris. Coming to
himself again F. Fernando expanded his looks in
search for F. Pedro and found him also buried to his
belt in the ruins. He had the Chasuble which torn
up down in tracks which looked like streaks and he
was without the slighest injury on his body.
Immediately both of them thanked the Lord for
their marvelous deliverance in a most submissive pray-
er, remaining with the great grief for so many people
had perished. His habit never to let himself be in-
terrupted in his over careful worship and the pro-
found veneration with which daily offered God in the
adorable sacrifice of the altar discloses to us well how
his sublime religious virtue had penetrated into his
soul. He obtained always the greatest decency and
most possible accomplishment of his church and for
everything that belonged to the external cult, not only
because his inmost veneration dictated it, but because
he knew well, that to the converts and especially to
the Indians, it was suitable to impress the dignity
and majesty of the great mysteries of our religion
through their eyes. His devotion and his piety, for
the holy Virgin surpassed everything. Mentioning
her sweet name alone was enough to fill his whole
being with tenderness and sensible devotion. Days
before the celebration of holy days in honor of the
Mother Mary, he called his people together, especially
in preparation of the feast in honor of her glorious
assumption; also some Missionaries of nearby Mis-
sions were invited. From his many exhortations on
[158]
Letter of the Father Provincial Francisco Zevallos
such occasions breathed forth a warmth that spread
without difficulty, expressing a good deal of his fervour
and made his people ready for confession and general
communion, which he considered as the most essential
for the day's solemnity. In his discourses on such
days he insisted in first place on devotion and love
for the Holy Virgin as a sure pledge for predestina-
tion for God has prepared for his chosen ones another
life after this, a life, that alone can be called life, be-
cause it alone can fill the emptiness of our hearts
and give real happiness and because it is beyond the
power of death and the bitterness of earth's life, which
perhaps is more painful than death itself.
F. Fernando fasted every Saturday and every day
preceding a feast celebrated in the honor of the Bless-
ed Virgin, adding to the customary penance some
special exercise of charity, as distribution of alms,
suffering of certain ailments, which he considered even
more than alms. Always and everywhere he held his
Rosary in his hands and never Avasted one single mo-
ment which his occupations permitted him, to pray.
We already stated that in his Mission and even during
his travels he prayed every night together with all
his people. For the far off situated villages he made
religious rules, which never could be broken. He had
their teachers and leaders to instruct the villagers
and give account of their behavior. If one failed he
would be denounced, and the first time this delinquent
appeared the F. made him pray in church and dic-
tated some penances in case it was a repeated offense.
He used to say, that only he, that gives alms and
[159]
Life and ^Yorks of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
trusts in the mercy of the holy Virgin may expect to
go to heaven, words that filled with confusion and
tenderness all that heard them. Meekness of heart
and humility must be the proper motto for the pious,
for the most humble Virgin, exalted to the infinite
dignity praises the condescension of God for having
put his eyes on her littleness and lowliness.
The great secret of real humility penetrated into
pagan philosophy, it does not deject the soul. Before
only greatness and strength were the inspiring mo-
tives. It is harder to suffer great evil in a joyful
mood, than it is to execute a great deed of charity in
the same spirit. In the toleration of the evil there
is nothing that would support the natural swoon of
heart as does virtue. His bestowing of benefit has a
greatness and splendor that serves to help us all to
shape an upright character and to animate the pusil-
lanimity of our heart. F. Fernando undertook jour-
neys full of dangers and often every footstep was
accompanied with danger. Nothing could discourage
him; judging that the undertaking would be to the
greatest glory of God, he attacked it fearlessly. It
is most admirable to note how peacefully he received
one of the greatest afflictions, that befell him. It
was the total destruction of the enormous dam or fort
that was erected in order to hold up the fury of floods
and the weight of lime and stone and which had stood
many years and had been built in two and one half
years time.
In 1754, however, the floods were so frequent and
common that they ruined everything, carrying away
[160]
Letter of the Father Provincial Francisco Zevallos
seeded land and vineyards and leaving only rocky
scraps here and seas of water there. The inconsol-
able Indians wept and lamented the great loss, but
F. Fernando looked on with dry eyes and with such
serene face and heart, as if he were most indifferent.
Not the slighest indication of disappointment or dis-
may was to be noticed in his countenance, but he
comforted his Indians and exhorted to submission to
the will of God, from whom we should accept the
evil with the same joy and readiness with which we
receive his abundant gifts. Everything good, or bad,
comes to us registered by his fatherly Providence and
aimed for our very best. His Mission before had been
a source of help for all the others, so now it was not
the most needy ; but F. Fernando, really poor in spirit
did not hesitate to ask for necessary alms to help his
poor Indians with the same delight with which he
had helped the others before.
Of his moderation and mortification we have ex-
amples not less noble than those already mentioned
ones. As we know, he prohibited the use of wine and
outside of the wine purified the water to be used in the
Mass, he never drank it. With like severity he pro-
hibited wheat bread. The reason was that on his
journey to California on the other side of the Guadal-
ajara he stopped at a village named La Magdalena,
where he remained for three days in order to hear
confession of many people, that had requested him.
His hosts, though the most diligent, had no other
bread than Mais or ''Tortillas" (Mais cakes) to serve
the table. In spite of his efforts the F. made^ morti-
[161]
Life and Works of fhe Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
fying himself, he preserved a natural horror for this
food, that had caused an inflamation of his stomach.
This was the crime which in his tribunal deserved
the penance that he imposed to accustom oneself to
eat Mais bread and never use that of wheat, a design
which he followed up for 19 years.
Noticeable weakening in health prompted the Fa«
thers, his fellow missionaries to make requests per-
sistently to quit endangering his life and finally F.
Fernando agreed to submit and eat wheat bread some-
times. To this parsimony and the roughness of food
he added many more penances and austerities in order
to mortify his body, already exhausted through never
interrupted work and nocturnal prayer.
In his religious exercises he was scrupulously exact.
"With him it was a fixed purpose to obey blindly and
promptly the orders of his superiors, without pro-
posing or exhibiting his own views, although he could
have done so without violating the rules of obedience.
The prudence and modesty which he observed in his
dealings with the other sex would have been excessive,
if this could have excess. When amid objects some-
what provoking, he would not relax this delicacy and
watchfulness, which demands innocence and chastity,
prescribed by our rules. Of his poverty I will not
say more than copy here what was written by the Mis-
sionary, who nursed him in his last illness and was
present while he died. Excerpt from the books of the
Mission give the following statement :
"All that I could find of the possessions left be-
hind of this Rev. Father consisted in his Breviary,
[162]
Letter of the Father Provincial Francisco Zevallos
pretty old, and three little books for his devotion which
were much used and had been his inseparable com-
panions. One of them was a Thomas a Kempis
another the ''Ano Santo" and the third "Flores in-
dici." Besides this religious inheritance, I found
some hair clothes and an instrument made of copper
wire for nerve strengthening. His death was just
as exemplary as his noble religious life. Not only
that he did not fear death, he even longed for it. His
natural generosity, delicacy of conscience and espe-
cially his filial trust in God and in the meditation of
the most Holy Mother Maria had disarmed death of
its terrors so far for him had it always had something
terrible. Exhausted, without strength, breathing
with difficulty in high fever and a piercing pain in
his side, he celebrated Mass. The last day of his life,
the 10th of September and the second of the eighth
nativity of our Lady, he could not say Mass, a Mass
was celebrated in his presence by F. Benno Ducrue.
The dying F. heard it partly kneeling and partly
sitting, especially for the last part of the Mass he
tried to sit up. He made a last effort to kneel down
again to receive the bread of the angels as viaticum
for the great journey into eternity. Shortly after-
wards he asked for and was given the extreme unction.
'' Between constant and compassionate acts of faith,
hope and charity, holding in his hands a medallion
of the Virgin and the Holy Crucifix, which he caressed
and kissed continually and tenderly and passed away
between eight and nine o'clock at night of the same
day, September 10, 1759. He was fifty-five years,
[103]
Life and Works of the Rev. Ferdinand Konscak, S. J.
nine months and nine days old. Over 39 years he was
in order. For 27 years he labored as Missionary in
California and 12 years he spent professing four vows.
He was of affable aspect, of medium height and well
proportioned, meek and full of affability and of sub-
lime and generous character. His death made a deep
impression on the Indians. They arrived in troops,
sobbing and crying aloud, and it would have been
impossible to restrain them from hugging and ca-
ressing the corpse, which they bathed with their tears.
With great haste and without supplies they came
from points even as far as twenty miles distance in
order to have the consolation of seeing the cadavei>
and to demonstrate their affection, veneration and
love as a last testimony of their appreciation of his
many good works. They had vacated the neighbor-
ing Missions in spite of the contrary orders of their
respective Missionaries who were afraid of confusion.
The flood of tears was so great and general, that one
can hardly imagine. The funeral service was most
impressive and accompanied with greatest splendor
however, without affectation or adulation. There was
to be seen the most profound veneration and the
most sincere love, a bitter grief of many otherwise
not very sensible by nature, but now changed and
touched by the great loss, that had come upon them.
An excellent proof for the power that virtue exercises
over the hearts of men, even over those of the most
barbarous nature.
Many months after that day, whenever they at-
tended Mass they came to greet the grave of the dead
[164]
Letter of the Father Provincial Francisco Zevallos
Missionary, children as well as the adults. They
turned their faces toward the room in which he had
died, stared at it without uttering a word and then
began to cry. It was an alleviation of their heartache
to weep on his grave and to say the Rosary and
other prayers there. All this inspires a pious belief
that he is already enjoying the reward for his glorious
work in heaven. I must, nevertheless ask you most
Rev. Father to bear me in mind and remember me in
your prayers to God our Lord, as most needy."
Protest
Obedient to the Apostolic Decree of our Most Holy
Father Urban VIII and otherwise judge of the mat-
ter, I protest that what I said in this letter in behalf
of the virtues of Father Fernando Konsag of the * ' So
ciety of Jesus" I do not intend to give more credit
than belongs to a human testimony, neither in the
panegyrics which I made separating myself an apex
of what teaches and demands our holy Mother Church
to whose correction I subdue myself as its most humble
son.
[165]
Literature
Carlos Sommervogel, S.J., Biblioteque de la Compag-
nie de Jesus, Bruxelles, Paris, 1890-1909, vol.
IV, p. 1191.
Anton Hounder, S.J., Stimmen aus Maria Lach, Er-
ganzungsheft, 74, Freiburg, 1899, p. 111.
Clavigero Francesco, Storia della California, Intro-
duction p. 12. II vol. p. 119, 132 Venice,
1789.
Johan Nep. Stoger, S.J., Scriptores provinciae aus-
triacae S. J. Vindobonae 1855, p. 193.
Konshak Ferdinand, Diairo de Californias, published
in Paris 1767.
Jacobus Baegert, S.J., Nachrichten von der Ameri-
kanischen Halbinsel Californien, Mannheim,
1771, 1773.
P. Francisco Zevallos, Sobre la vida del P. Konsag,
Mexico, 1764.
P. Buriel, Notitias de la California, Vol. Ill, p. 140^
195.
Venegas, Miguel. Notitia de la California, Madrid,
1757.
H. H. Bancroft, History of Texas, vol. I, 462, 457,
North American States.
Leese, Jacob B,, Historical outline of Lower Cali-
fornia, New York, 1865.
Ortega Jose De, Historia de Nayaret, Sinaloa y ambes
Californies, Mexico, 1887.
[166]
lAterature
Ives, Lieut. J. C, Exploration of the Colorado river,
Washington, 1861.
Adelung, Natiirliche und biirgerliche Geschichte von
Californien, vol. Ill, p. 62. . . .
Alegre, Historia de la Compagnia de Jesus on Nueva
Espagna, vol. Ill, p. 286-300.
De Backer, vol. II, p. 504.
Menologe de la Compagnia de Jesus (Assistance de
Germania) Paris, 1898, p. 202.
Villasenor Jose, Theatro Americano, chapter 39.
P. Konshak, Nagadia versibus latinis, Budae, 1728, 8°.
P. Stocklein, Weltbott, p. 743, a letter from Vera
Cruz, Mexico.
Murr, Cartografischen Arbeiten, Journal, XII, 234,
Ann. Carta del P. F.
Consag de la Comp. de Jesus, Visitodar de la Miss, de
Calif., 4% p. 43. Oct. 1, 1748.
Description compendiosa de lo discubierto de
la California, por el Padre F. Gonsago de la
Comp. de Jesus 1746, Manuscript in British Mu-
seum.
[167]
BOSTON UNIVERSITY
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Krmpotich, Martin Davorin
Life and works of the Rev.
Ferdinand Kons^ak, S.J.
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BX8381.05K7
Krmpotich, Martin Davorin
Life and works of the Rev.
Ferdinand Konscak, S.J.
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